Perspektivismus

Perspektivismus is a philosophical position most closely associated with Friedrich Nietzsche. It holds that all knowledge, meaning, and value arise from particular perspectives rather than from an objective, viewpoint-free access to reality. From a given standpoint—shaped by biology, history, culture, language, and interests—humans interpret the world. Because every assertion is embedded in a context, there are no universal, standpoint-independent facts; at most we have interpretations that are useful, coherent, or viable within specific frameworks.

Key claims: There is no absolute vantage point; truth is not a discovery of an objective reality but a construction within interpretive frameworks. Different disciplines and cultures produce different, often incompatible interpretations. This does not entail pure relativism; Nietzsche stresses that judgments are influenced by life-conditions or "will to power," and some interpretations are more life-affirming or effective than others. Knowledge thus aims at pragmatic adequacy and self-critical cross-checks among perspectives.

Influence and critique: Perspektivismus influenced hermeneutics and late 19th/20th-century Continental philosophy, including figures who emphasize the situatedness of knowledge. Critics warn of excessive skepticism or anti-scientific implications. Proponents argue it cautions against dogmatic absolutism and highlights the value of dialogue among viewpoints. In contemporary usage, perspectivism is discussed in epistemology, science studies, and ethics as a reminder that our claims are conditioned by standpoint and language.