Philosophy 101        Inroduction to Philosophy   Group Writing Projects Topic 1:Theories of Truth    ( Objectivism versus Relativism )

   Introduction

    One good way to approach this topic is to begin with
our discussion of how Socrates goes about trying to establish universal concepts in his method of question-and -answer ( Socratic dialogue). Remember our attempt to define a knife? We started with a first attempt at a definition and then the other group responded by finding an example of an axe or a saw that was still included in the first definition. For example, the first definition could be the following: "A knife is a tool with a blade used for cutting." The problem is that this definition still includes axes and saws. We then had to revise our first definition to make it more precise so that it would fit only knives and not axes and saws.
The point is that Socrates perceived the essential characteristic(s) of any knife as being the same everywhere. A knife may also be called a Couteau in French or a Messer in German, but for Socrates all the
names in different languages have the same essential
characteristic: they have the same definition because they
all function in the same way as knives. For Socrates, what defines any knife as a knife is objectively out there in the knife. Plato, Socrates' student, then went on to develop the notion that these essential characteristics (definitions) have an existence of their own apart from (in this case) knives. Plato called these absolute definitions Ideas or Forms. Both Socrates and Plato thought truth was objectively out there and disagreed with the Sophists who believed that truth was relative to the individual's perspective or social context.

Topic: Is this similar to the way Bohannan understands Hamlet at the beginning of her essay? Does she see the play as having a core meaning or truth that won't change when the play is translated from one culture to another?
In the beginning of her essay, she says that "some detail of custom might have to be explained and difficulties of translation might produce other slight changes." Aside from these minor problems, she believes the play has an objective  truth, that is, a core of truth that will not change in translating the play from one culture to another. Do you think this is true, or is the truth (the basic narrative and true meaning) of the play completely relative to the culture (in this case the Tiv people)?

Read Sections 6.1 (pp. 397-417) and 6.2 (pp.419-424);
see also cultural and ethical relativism (pp.458-461).

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Last revision:  August 21, 1998
Please send any comments to Frank Edler fedler@mccneb.edu