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Kwame Anthony Appiah Quote

If relativism about ethics and morality were true, then, at the end of many discussions, we. would each have to end up by saying, From where I stand, I am right. From where you stand, you are right. And there would be nothing further to say. From our different perspectives, we. would be living effectively in different worlds. And without a shared world, what is there to discuss? People often recommend relativism because they think it will lead to tolerance. But if we cannot learn from one another what it is right to think and feel and do, then conversation between us will be pointless. Relativism of that sort isn't a way to encourage conversation; it's just a reason to fall silent.

Kwame Anthony Appiah

If relativism about ethics and morality were true, then, at the end of many discussions, we. would each have to end up by saying, From where I stand, I am right. From where you stand, you are right. And there would be nothing further to say. From our different perspectives, we. would be living effectively in different worlds. And without a shared world, what is there to discuss? People often recommend relativism because they think it will lead to tolerance. But if we cannot learn from one another what it is right to think and feel and do, then conversation between us will be pointless. Relativism of that sort isn't a way to encourage conversation; it's just a reason to fall silent.

Tags: cultural relativism

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About Kwame Anthony Appiah

Kwame Akroma-Ampim Kusi Anthony Appiah ( AP-ee-ah; born 8 May 1954) is a British-American philosopher and writer who has written about political philosophy, ethics, the philosophy of language and mind, and African intellectual history. Appiah was the Laurance S. Rockefeller University Professor of Philosophy at Princeton University, before moving to New York University (NYU) in 2014. He holds an appointment at the NYU Department of Philosophy and NYU's School of Law. Appiah was elected President of the American Academy of Arts and Letters in January 2022.