Park, Jin-Sun.  “Beyond Subjective Relativism:  A Whiteheadian Solution.”  The Journal of Whiteheadian Studies 6 (June 2003): 43-71.

Abstract

This paper aims to explore two main theories in Whitehead’s Epistemology – hard-core common sense and a nonsensationist doctrine of perception – in order to provide a criterion with which to measure the adequacy of all theories.  I argue that providing such a criterion is necessary to overcome the inadequacy of subjective relativism, which understands all points of view as being equally valid.  As a result of this relativistic worldview, a moral confusion of cultures and values has developed.  A common criterion can be a guideline that provides a path out of this confusion.

Whitehead finds such commonsense criteria in practice.  According to Whitehead, there are universal presuppositions in our everyday life.  Even though these ideas can be denied verbally, they will nonetheless continue to be presupposed in practice.  David Griffin calls these ideas hard-core commonsense notions.  The examples of hard-core commonsense notions discussed in this paper are freedom, causation, truth as correspondence, and value.  Anyone who attempts to argue that we have no knowledge of such ideas would show in that very act that the knowledge of such ideas was being presupposed.  Because we cannot live without these notions in our daily life, we should not deny them in our theories.  Therefore, because hard-core commonsense notions cannot consistently be denied, they can provide criteria to test all theories.  To support the fact of hard-core commonsense notions, I also explore how we can have knowledge of these notions.