Gurevich P.S. Relativism as a Cognitive Malady

Abstract: The subject of study is reflection over the book «Relativism kak bolezn’ sovremennoy filosofii [Relativism as a malady of modern philosophy]» (Ed.-in-chief V.A. Lektorskiy. M., 2015). Why is relativism as one of methodological principles of knowledge assessed in the book as a malady of modern philosophy? Do we not see a constant escape of the single truth replaced by the luxuriant meadow of diverse opinions? Are we, contrary to Kant, convinced in the limitlessness and liturgical harmony of human knowledge? The conception of the book is not directed against cognitive doubts, does not dispute possible assumptions of the plurality of truth. It shows its indisputability to the extent that relativism becomes hardly ever the dominating methodological rule. It is in this sense that K. Popper called relativism «the main malady of our time». Is knowledge (and/or truth) relative, does it depend on time, place, society, culture, historical epoch, conceptual frame? Or is it absolute, universal and independent? These and similar questions are as old as philosophy and characterize the opposing doctrines – relativism and absolutism.Standard methods of scientific research are used, including the method of comparative analysis, referring to traditional problems of epistemology – the nature of rationality, understanding the possibilities of knowledge and changing of the world.The novelty of the work is related to analysis of critical approaches to modern relativism. The book attempts at finding the foundations of relativism and its practical shortcomings. Relativistic tendencies in modern epistemology and philosophy of science and also in sciences of man, psychology, cultural and historical science are examined. The authors distinguish between relativism and scepticism: they show that pluralism can fruitfully be practiced exactly if it is interpreted in the antirelativistic clue. Relativism, as reductionism, claims to be the only methodological principle capable of giving birth to modern philosophy in its search of new foundations of knowledge.

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