top of page
© Lionel Bayol-Thémines / Flying land / 2014
Forthcoming. Palgrave Macmillan (2015).
Table of contents
Chapter 1: Metaepistemology and Realism
Chapter 2: Global Relativism
Chapter 3: The Pyrrhonian Argument for Epistemic Relativism
Chapter 4: Dialogic Arguments for Epistemic Relativism
Chapter 5: Incommensurability, Circularity and Epistemic Relativism
Chapter 6: Replacement Relativism: Boghossian, Kusch and Wright
Chapter 7: A Different Kind of Epistemic Relativism
Chapter 8: New Relativism: Epistemic Aftermath
Chapter 9: Metaepistemology and Relativism
Short synopsis
Is knowledge relative? Many academics across the humanities are happy to say that it is. However, those who work in mainstream epistemology, the philosophical theory of knowledge, generally take for granted that it is not. Metaepistemology and Relativism questions whether the kind of anti-relativistic background that underlies most typical projects in mainstream epistemology can on closer inspection be vindicated. To this end, prominent and diverse argument strategies for epistemic relativism are considered and criticised. It is shown that a common weakness of more traditional argument strategies for epistemic relativism is that they fail to decisively motivate relativism over scepticism. Interestingly, though, this style of objection cannot be effectively redeployed against the new (semantic) variety of epistemic relativism—itself introduced only in the past decade. Although new (semantic) epistemic relativism constitutes an entirely different kind of challenge to mainstream epistemology than traditional forms, the new variety itself faces a dilemma. Once the dilemma is appreciated, it will be shown that the threat to mainstream epistemology that epistemic relativism is best understood as posing is in fact a very different one than we’d be originally inclined to think.
Selected praise for Metaepistemology and Relativism
“Adam Carter's book is both a meticulous and erudite review of old and new controversies over epistemic relativism, and an original intervention into current debates. It should be obligatory reading for novices and specialists.” – Martin Kusch, Professor of Philosophy, University of Vienna
“As everyone familiar with contemporary epistemology knows, the ghost of Protagoras is still with us. Adam Carter gives here what may well be the best discussion of contemporary issues about relativism. His redrawing of the landscape at the meta-epistemological level is lucid, sophisticated and forceful.” – Pascal Engel, directeur d'études à l'Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales, EHESS)
"Relativism has been the focus of much recent debate among epistemologists and philosophers of language alike. Metaepistemology and Relativism assesses, with originality and insight, the motivating argument for traditional and new forms of epistemic relativism and demonstrates their wider philosophical significance. This welcome book on a hugely significant topic is indispensable to all those interested in contemporary debates in epistemology," Maria Baghramian, Professor of Philosophy, University College Dublin.
bottom of page