The only boring aspect of this book is its title, which doesn't do
justice to apologist Kreeft's intelligent, engaging dialogue between
two fictional friends during a week of relaxation at Martha's Vineyard.
Kreeft, philosophy professor at Boston College and author of more than
25 books, describes the absolutist character 'Isa as a Muslim
fundamentalist from Palestine who teaches philosophy at the American
University in Beirut. His interviewer and sparring partner is Libby
Rawls, an African-American, liberal feminist journalist. Using a
classic debate format, with impressive fairness to the opposite side,
Kreeft defines relativism and its importance. Tracing relativism's
evolution and history in Western philosophy, Kreeft notes that
relativism is a fairly modern perspective, originating within the last
few hundred years. He outlines the philosophical distinctions between
it and absolutism with clarity and an integrity that will delight both
the layperson and the professional philosopher. For Kreeft, relativism
has eroded a collective and individual sense of accountability and
contributed to social decay, yet he can see the other side, especially
with regard to cross-cultural differences. Although the purpose of the
book is to uphold absolutism, Kreeft outlines the relativist
perspective in an approachable, respectful manner. By giving
counterarguments a fighting chance, this becomes a book that may
actually persuade people, not just preach to the absolutist choir. ~
Publishers Weekly
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Philosophy professor Kreeft's conceit is that he recently invited two
former students (both fictional) to discuss moral philosophy and that
this is the record of their conversations. One of the two, a black
feminist journalist and moral relativist, interviewed the other, a
Palestinian Arab professor and moral absolutist. The sparks start
flying in the first session, when the professor characterizes Auschwitz
as "the fruit of moral relativism" and quotes Mussolini's explanation
of fascism as quintessentially relativistic. The succeeding discussion
treats the definition and the history of moral relativism (it began
with the serpent's temptation of Eve, it seems), whether data support
relativism or absolutism, the arguments for relativism, the roots of
relativism in reductionism, arguments for moral absolutism,
absolutism's philosophical assumptions (e.g., that truth can be known),
and, finally, "The Cause and Cure of Relativism" (sexual mores are key
to both). As the title suggests, relativism doesn't stand a chance
here. Boredom is a goner, too, as, employing the oldest literary method
of enlivening philosophy--casting it, ... ala Plato, as a dialogue, a
bare-bones play--Kreeft deftly creates recognizable characters as he
advances a debate as important to the future of religion as to that of
society. ~ Ray Olson for Booklist
