Arguments Against Epistemic Relativism
Yet, despite arguments that show the validity of epistemic relativist thought, for some scholars, relativism has remained controversial and “untenable” (Kalderon, 2009, p. 236). For example, it could be argued that Black Feminist Thought has risked closing off discourse when dealing with false consciousness. Since subjugated knowledges like coloured women’s resistance develops in cultural contexts, dominant groups can attempt to influence an oppressed group’s experiences by gaining control and normalising standards of conduct.
For example, Collins (1991) argues that internalising Eurocentric gender ideology about race, masculinity, and dominance could in some cases normalise the practice of coloured men …show more content…
On the other hand, instead of lapsing into incoherence, what epistemic relativism does do well is provide a framework for achieving epistemic goals, particularly by providing different ways of interpreting experience.
More specifically, it could be argued that the principle of the many shows that there are different ways of knowing so that there is always a knower-dependent knowledge of reality (Code, 1987). As well, the principle of non-neutrality highlights that knowledge is never neutral and that the knower needs to be guided by cognitive enterprise to understand how things really are. In that sense, analysis should not stop with partial, simplified, or distorted accounts when more accurate yet always incomplete knowledges can be achieved.
Bondy (2016) notes that an epistemic goal is that which is valuable from an epistemic or cognitive point of view. In most of the literature on epistemology, the most important epistemic goal is to know truth and avoid error, “these are our first and great commandments as would-be knowers” (James, 1896/1979, p. 24; Chisholm, 1977; Alston, 1985; Foley, 1987; Latus, 2000; Riggs,
Yet, despite arguments that show the validity of epistemic relativist thought, for some scholars, relativism has remained controversial and “untenable” (Kalderon, 2009, p. 236). For example, it could be argued that Black Feminist Thought has risked closing off discourse when dealing with false consciousness. Since subjugated knowledges like coloured women’s resistance develops in cultural contexts, dominant groups can attempt to influence an oppressed group’s experiences by gaining control and normalising standards of conduct.
For example, Collins (1991) argues that internalising Eurocentric gender ideology about race, masculinity, and dominance could in some cases normalise the practice of coloured men …show more content…
On the other hand, instead of lapsing into incoherence, what epistemic relativism does do well is provide a framework for achieving epistemic goals, particularly by providing different ways of interpreting experience.
More specifically, it could be argued that the principle of the many shows that there are different ways of knowing so that there is always a knower-dependent knowledge of reality (Code, 1987). As well, the principle of non-neutrality highlights that knowledge is never neutral and that the knower needs to be guided by cognitive enterprise to understand how things really are. In that sense, analysis should not stop with partial, simplified, or distorted accounts when more accurate yet always incomplete knowledges can be achieved.
Bondy (2016) notes that an epistemic goal is that which is valuable from an epistemic or cognitive point of view. In most of the literature on epistemology, the most important epistemic goal is to know truth and avoid error, “these are our first and great commandments as would-be knowers” (James, 1896/1979, p. 24; Chisholm, 1977; Alston, 1985; Foley, 1987; Latus, 2000; Riggs,