Bridging Universalism and Relativism: An Inquiry into the Epistemology of Ethics

• In Event: Communication Ethics: Theoretical, Rhetorical, and Practical Implications

Abstract

The fields of ethics and epistemology are characterized by tension between contrasting approaches to reality – one associated with the search for universal truths, the other associated with relativism and the social construction of truth. This paper reconciles this tension by modeling the relativity of the social construction of truth claims. The paper concludes by affirming the value of a dialogical or consultative approach to ethical truth claims in an age of increasing global interdependence.

Authors

• Michael Karlberg, Western Washington University

• Todd Smith, University of Toronto