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The Ethnic Myths of Cultural Relativism

The Ethnic Myths of Cultural Relativism The ethnic myths of cultural Keith Windschuttle relativism Mac/eay Press, Sydney Ten years ago, the American philosopher Allan Bloom opened his withering dis­ section of the faults of the higher education system, The closing ofthe American mind, with the observation of the triumph of relativism. 'There is one thing a professor student entering the can be absolutely certain of,' he remarked, 'almost every university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative'. In the face of the various claims to truth and the divergent ways of life that characterise modem society, Bloom perceived, higher education had responded by promoting openness and the idea that the real danger was the true believer. This, he noted with bitter irony, was 'the great insight of our times'. The study of history and of culture teaches that all the world was mad in the past; men always thought they were right, and that led to wars, persecutions, slavery, xenophobia, racism and chauvinism. The point is not to correct the mistakes and really be right; rather it is not to think you are right at all. (Bloom, 1987, pp.25-6) A decade on, Bloom's observation not only continues to be confirmed but rela­ tivism http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Australian Journal of Education SAGE

The Ethnic Myths of Cultural Relativism

Windschuttle, Keith
Australian Journal of Education , Volume 41 (1): 11 – Apr 1, 1997
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Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
© 1997 Australian Council for Educational Research
ISSN
0004-9441
eISSN
2050-5884
DOI
10.1177/000494419704100107
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The ethnic myths of cultural Keith Windschuttle relativism Mac/eay Press, Sydney Ten years ago, the American philosopher Allan Bloom opened his withering dis­ section of the faults of the higher education system, The closing ofthe American mind, with the observation of the triumph of relativism. 'There is one thing a professor student entering the can be absolutely certain of,' he remarked, 'almost every university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative'. In the face of the various claims to truth and the divergent ways of life that characterise modem society, Bloom perceived, higher education had responded by promoting openness and the idea that the real danger was the true believer. This, he noted with bitter irony, was 'the great insight of our times'. The study of history and of culture teaches that all the world was mad in the past; men always thought they were right, and that led to wars, persecutions, slavery, xenophobia, racism and chauvinism. The point is not to correct the mistakes and really be right; rather it is not to think you are right at all. (Bloom, 1987, pp.25-6) A decade on, Bloom's observation not only continues to be confirmed but rela­ tivism

Journal

Australian Journal of Education – SAGE

Published: Apr 1, 1997

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