What is an absolute? Also, how does Nietzsche say that absolutes are not actually absolute
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer:
An absolute is something that is considered universally true, unchanging, and independent of context, opinion, or perspective. Examples include moral absolutes (e.g., “killing is always wrong”), mathematical truths, or religious doctrines that are believed to hold under all conditions.
Friedrich Nietzsche, a 19th-century German philosopher, challenged the idea of absolutes, especially in morality, truth, and meaning. He argued that absolutes are human constructs—not fixed realities—and that what people consider absolute truths are often culturally, historically, or psychologically determined. Nietzsche believed that truth is perspectival, meaning it is shaped by individual perspectives and cannot exist independently from interpretation.
Explanation (300 words):
An absolute refers to something regarded as eternal, universal, and unchanging. This can apply to truth, moral values, or even metaphysical concepts like God. Absolutes are often the foundation of religious and philosophical systems, which claim that certain principles apply to all people at all times, regardless of circumstances.
Nietzsche was one of the most radical critics of such notions. In works like Beyond Good and Evil and The Genealogy of Morals, he claimed that there are no absolute moral truths or universal values. He argued that what people view as “absolute” truths are simply the dominant interpretations imposed by cultures, institutions, or those in power. For example, Christian morality, which often claims to be absolute, Nietzsche saw as a product of historical and psychological developments, especially the “slave morality” that arose in response to oppression.
Nietzsche introduced the concept of “perspectivism”, which holds that there is no single, objective standpoint from which to determine truth. All knowledge and values are filtered through human perspectives—subjective lenses shaped by emotion, language, culture, and experience. Thus, truth is not absolute but relative to different viewpoints.
Nietzsche’s famous proclamation that “God is dead” symbolizes the collapse of absolute values in modern society. Without absolutes, he saw an opportunity for people to create their own values and live authentically, but he also warned of nihilism—the sense of meaninglessness that can arise when absolutes are no longer believed.
In short, Nietzsche believed that absolutes are illusions—they reflect human needs, not eternal realities.