Matches in SemOpenAlex for { <https://semopenalex.org/work/W638690734> ?p ?o ?g. }
Showing items 1 to 55 of
55
with 100 items per page.
- W638690734 abstract "Current dogma holds that all cultures and moral values are conditional, nothing human is innate, and Einstein proved that the whole universe is 'relative'. Challenging this position, William Gairdner argues that relativism is not only logically and morally self-defeating but that progress in scientific and intellectual disciplines has actually strengthened the case for absolutes, universals, and constants of nature and human nature. Gairdner refutes the popular belief in cultural relativism by showing that there are hundreds of well-established cross-cultural 'human universals'. He then discusses the many universals found in physics - as well as Einstein's personal regret at how his work was misinterpreted by the public's eagerness to promote relativism. Gairdner also gives a lively account of the many universals of human biology, including the controversial topic of universal gender differences or 'brain sex'. He then looks at universal concepts of both natural and international law, and ends by discussing language theory. He shows how philosophers from Nietzsche to Derrida have misused linguistic concepts to justify their relativism, even though a sustained and successful effort by serious scientists and philosophers of language has revealed myriad universals of human language, ranging from language acquisition, to word-order, to 'Universal Grammar'. From ethics to Einstein, culture to biology, law to language, The Book of Absolutes makes complex topics accessible to a broad audience and demonstrates that there are plenty of certainties, even in our postmodern world." @default.
- W638690734 created "2016-06-24" @default.
- W638690734 creator A5033399446 @default.
- W638690734 date "2009-09-01" @default.
- W638690734 modified "2023-09-27" @default.
- W638690734 title "The Book of Absolutes: A Critique of Relativism and a Defence of Universals" @default.
- W638690734 hasPublicationYear "2009" @default.
- W638690734 type Work @default.
- W638690734 sameAs 638690734 @default.
- W638690734 citedByCount "1" @default.
- W638690734 crossrefType "book" @default.
- W638690734 hasAuthorship W638690734A5033399446 @default.
- W638690734 hasConcept C111472728 @default.
- W638690734 hasConcept C138885662 @default.
- W638690734 hasConcept C16592111 @default.
- W638690734 hasConcept C169437150 @default.
- W638690734 hasConcept C17744445 @default.
- W638690734 hasConcept C179972433 @default.
- W638690734 hasConcept C185305159 @default.
- W638690734 hasConcept C199539241 @default.
- W638690734 hasConceptScore W638690734C111472728 @default.
- W638690734 hasConceptScore W638690734C138885662 @default.
- W638690734 hasConceptScore W638690734C16592111 @default.
- W638690734 hasConceptScore W638690734C169437150 @default.
- W638690734 hasConceptScore W638690734C17744445 @default.
- W638690734 hasConceptScore W638690734C179972433 @default.
- W638690734 hasConceptScore W638690734C185305159 @default.
- W638690734 hasConceptScore W638690734C199539241 @default.
- W638690734 hasLocation W6386907341 @default.
- W638690734 hasOpenAccess W638690734 @default.
- W638690734 hasPrimaryLocation W6386907341 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W1494664916 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W1527839949 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W170695610 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W2006204160 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W2024382521 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W2024445388 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W2131999674 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W2164565633 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W2182207597 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W2331812507 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W2479455581 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W2582783515 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W30834737 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W3117458254 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W3123381665 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W3146598867 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W634005589 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W1582474634 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W1969004629 @default.
- W638690734 hasRelatedWork W2291934490 @default.
- W638690734 isParatext "false" @default.
- W638690734 isRetracted "false" @default.
- W638690734 magId "638690734" @default.
- W638690734 workType "book" @default.