RELATIVISM CONSTRAINED

All in all, the relation between internal realism and relativism seems to be this. Internal realism does not imply relativism. It rules out certain forms of relativism, but does not refute all versions of the doctrine. One of the reasons why people may find relativism fascinating is that it seems to justify human freedom. They fear that the idea of absolute truth is linked to intellectual dictatorship. I think this fear is misplaced. Truth alone does not infringe on people s right to believe what they like. Only other people can do that. Since internal realism is committed to fallibilism, it gives us reasons for not constraining intellectual liberty in the name of truth. For we might not possess the truth. 

Positivists assert that the risks are directly observable and measurable science is provable9. Relativists hold the view that scientific knowledge is bounded by paradigms of our understanding of the physical world [6]. Paradigms are incommensurable, so scientific discoveries are therefore always relative [7]. Two forms of relativism are differentiated constrained [6] and unconstrained [8]. The latter approach holds that the real world is 100% constructed through social and cultural influences [9]. The three approaches of positivism, constrained relativism and unconstrained relativism are schematically represented in Figure 1.1. 

A further divide between risk analysts arises between realism and constructionism, but this debate can be seen as unifying positivist and relativist approaches. Constructionism considers how social and cultural perspectives influence risk definitions and interpretations [12]. In comparison, realists exclude social and cultural phenomena in their reference of risk, but do acknowledge their existence [12]. Constructionism resembles constrained relativism and does not represent the paradigms of the unconstrained relativists. For positivists and realists, acknowledging risk perceptions provides a potential framework to incorporate the risk perceptions into their process of risk analysis because risk perceptions can be subject to scientific analysis as social phenomena. 

Figure 1.1 Positivism (i), constrained relativism (ii), and unconstrained relativism (iii) (taken from [11]. Reproduced with permission from K.R. Popper, The Logic of Scientific Study,...

Parallels between the soft-systems analytical framework and a constrained relativism are evident when comparing Figure 3.2 with Figure 1.1(b) in Chapter 1 - reproduced as Figure 3.3 below. 

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