The book of absolutes : a critique of relativism and a defence of universals /

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Author / Creator:Gairdner, William D. (William Douglas), 1940-
Imprint:Montreal : McGill-Queen's University Press, ©2008.
Description:1 online resource (xvi, 398 pages)
Language:English
Subject:
Format: E-Resource Book
URL for this record:http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/11220694
Hidden Bibliographic Details
ISBN:9780773574694
0773574697
9780773534131
077353413X
9780773536197
0773536191
Notes:Includes bibliographical references and index.
Restrictions unspecified
Electronic reproduction. [Place of publication not identified] : HathiTrust Digital Library, 2010.
Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002. http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212
digitized 2010 HathiTrust Digital Library committed to preserve
Print version record.
Summary:"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 in 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 looks at universal concepts of both natural and international law, and ends by discussing language theory. Gairdner 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."--Jacket.
Other form:Print version: Gairdner, William D. (William Douglas), 1940- Book of absolutes. Montreal : McGill-Queen's University Press, ©2008

MARC

LEADER 00000cam a2200000Ma 4500
001 11220694
006 m o d
007 cr cn|||||||||
008 090513s2008 quc ob 001 0deng d
005 20240702212047.9
010 |z  2009294540 
015 |a GBA8A3311  |2 bnb 
016 |z 20089018427 
016 |z 20089018427 (print) 
016 7 |z 014702451  |2 Uk 
019 |a 549311262  |a 647650575  |a 752534066  |a 923232583  |a 973029623  |a 973174443  |a 979289748  |a 980293918  |a 995021977  |a 1037905871  |a 1064024962  |a 1077937568  |a 1086142485  |a 1135677724  |a 1159068589  |a 1160024651  |a 1192348559 
020 |a 9780773574694  |q (electronic bk.) 
020 |a 0773574697  |q (electronic bk.) 
020 |z 9780773534131 
020 |z 077353413X 
020 |z 9780773536197  |q (pbk.) 
020 |z 0773536191  |q (pbk.) 
035 |a (OCoLC)647844352  |z (OCoLC)549311262  |z (OCoLC)647650575  |z (OCoLC)752534066  |z (OCoLC)923232583  |z (OCoLC)973029623  |z (OCoLC)973174443  |z (OCoLC)979289748  |z (OCoLC)980293918  |z (OCoLC)995021977  |z (OCoLC)1037905871  |z (OCoLC)1064024962  |z (OCoLC)1077937568  |z (OCoLC)1086142485  |z (OCoLC)1135677724  |z (OCoLC)1159068589  |z (OCoLC)1160024651  |z (OCoLC)1192348559 
035 9 |a (OCLCCM-CC)647844352 
037 |a 22573/ctt6sbq8  |b JSTOR 
040 |a E7B  |b eng  |e pn  |c E7B  |d OCLCQ  |d GPRCL  |d CELBN  |d YDXCP  |d FXR  |d N$T  |d OCLCQ  |d JSTOR  |d OCLCF  |d OCLCE  |d OCLCO  |d IDEBK  |d OCLCQ  |d EBLCP  |d OCLCQ  |d AGLDB  |d OCLCO  |d OTZ  |d OCLCQ  |d MERUC  |d OCLCQ  |d IOG  |d OCLCA  |d STF  |d EZ9  |d VTS  |d AU@  |d OCLCO  |d OCLCQ  |d YOU  |d DKC  |d OCLCQ  |d OCLCA  |d OCLCQ  |d K6U  |d UKAHL  |d CNNOR  |d AJS 
042 |a dlr 
049 |a MAIN 
050 4 |a BJ1500.R37  |b G35 2008eb 
055 3 |a BJ1500 R37  |b G33 2008 
055 3 |a BJ1500 R37  |b G34 2008 
072 7 |a PHI  |x 013000  |2 bisacsh 
072 7 |a PHI000000  |2 bisacsh 
100 1 |a Gairdner, William D.  |q (William Douglas),  |d 1940-  |0 http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82167089 
245 1 4 |a The book of absolutes :  |b a critique of relativism and a defence of universals /  |c William D. Gairdner. 
260 |a Montreal :  |b McGill-Queen's University Press,  |c ©2008. 
300 |a 1 online resource (xvi, 398 pages) 
336 |a text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a computer  |b c  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a online resource  |b cr  |2 rdacarrier 
504 |a Includes bibliographical references and index. 
505 0 |a A brief history of relativism -- The main types of relativism -- Objections to relativism -- The universals of human life and culture -- The constants of nature -- The war over biology: setting the stage -- Hardwired: the universal of human biology, sex, and brain sex -- Universals of law: the natural law and the moral law -- The natural law and the moral law at work in the world -- How language theory changed the (post) modern world -- German philosophy and the relativist revolt against Western civilization -- The sacred text: the French Nietzsche and the French Heidegger -- Po-mo and the return to absolutes -- The universals of language -- A postscript, with a word about universals of literature, myth, and symbol -- Appendix: some universals and constants of nature and human nature. 
588 0 |a Print version record. 
506 |3 Use copy  |f Restrictions unspecified  |2 star  |5 MiAaHDL 
520 1 |a "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 in 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 looks at universal concepts of both natural and international law, and ends by discussing language theory. Gairdner 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."--Jacket. 
533 |a Electronic reproduction.  |b [Place of publication not identified] :  |c HathiTrust Digital Library,  |d 2010.  |5 MiAaHDL 
538 |a Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002.  |u http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212  |5 MiAaHDL 
583 1 |a digitized  |c 2010  |h HathiTrust Digital Library  |l committed to preserve  |2 pda  |5 MiAaHDL 
650 0 |a Cultural relativism.  |0 http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85034754 
650 0 |a Universals (Philosophy)  |0 http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85141083 
650 6 |a Relativisme culturel. 
650 6 |a Universaux. 
650 7 |a PHILOSOPHY  |x Metaphysics.  |2 bisacsh 
650 7 |a PHILOSOPHY  |x General.  |2 bisacsh 
650 7 |a Cultural relativism.  |2 fast  |0 (OCoLC)fst00885057 
650 7 |a Universals (Philosophy)  |2 fast  |0 (OCoLC)fst01161594 
650 7 |a Relativismus  |2 gnd 
650 7 |a Kritik  |2 gnd 
650 7 |a Universalismus  |2 gnd  |0 http://d-nb.info/gnd/4186917-5 
650 7 |a Das Absolute  |2 gnd  |0 http://d-nb.info/gnd/4133844-3 
655 0 |a Electronic books. 
655 4 |a Electronic books. 
776 0 8 |i Print version:  |a Gairdner, William D. (William Douglas), 1940-  |t Book of absolutes.  |d Montreal : McGill-Queen's University Press, ©2008  |w (DLC) 2009294540 
903 |a HeVa 
929 |a oclccm 
999 f f |i 87283c9f-5689-5ad7-8cf0-59ac45226726  |s 19f795f6-91ca-5b28-93bf-146e2428a9aa 
928 |t Library of Congress classification  |a BJ1500.R37 G35 2008eb  |l Online  |c UC-FullText  |u https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=e000xna&AN=405050  |z eBooks on EBSCOhost  |g ebooks  |i 12287410