Sociology of Relativism According to Raymond Boudon

Relativism raises major issues for scientific knowledge and for the planning of life in contemporary societies. Relativism is widespread because it takes three different forms—cognitive, aesthetic and normative—all of which follow the same well-defined logic in Boudon’s work. This article looks at the intellectual and social mechanisms behind relativism according to R. Boudon to counter the impression of relativism that often characterizes the social sciences. It examines the role played by affectivity and the pursuit of interest in the appeal of relativism, followed by the important question of normative relativism. Finally, the article considers the difficult issue of the relationship between the particular and the universal, a question already addressed by Émile Durkheim over a century ago when he examined the social attachment of individuals to groups and to Humanity.