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Relativism is a family of philosophical positions that hold that points of view, truth conditions, or normative judgments are relative to different frameworks, contexts, or cultures rather than absolute. The idea challenges the notion of universal, context-free standards in areas such as truth, morality, knowledge, and aesthetics.

Moral relativism posits that judgments about right and wrong depend on cultural, historical, or personal contexts. There are strong forms, which deny any objective moral truth, and weaker forms, which allow for external critiques within a given framework. Epistemic or cognitive relativism argues that justification for beliefs is relative to a particular epistemic system, language, or conceptual scheme. Aesthetic relativism holds that judgments of beauty or artistic value vary with taste, culture, or historical period. Cultural relativism, often associated with anthropology, emphasizes interpreting practices within their own cultural logic rather than judging them by external standards. Linguistic or semantic relativism suggests that language shapes or constrains thought, influencing what can be meaningfully said or known.

Relativism is frequently contrasted with absolutism or universalism, which claim there are objective standards or truths applicable to all people at all times. The appeal of relativism includes promoting tolerance, open-mindedness, and sensitivity to diverse contexts. Critics argue that some forms of relativism undermine the ability to critique oppressive practices, justify harms, or make cross-cultural judgments. Debates also address whether relativism can coexist with some universal norms, or whether it should be limited to descriptive claims about practices rather than prescriptive norms.

In practice, relativism informs debates across philosophy, anthropology, ethics, and the philosophy of science, shaping discussions about how truth, value, and knowledge are evaluated across different frameworks.