Absolute vs. Relative Statements: A Clear Breakdown

Tristan Van der Wereld

Apr 24 • 👊 Start Here

Absolute Statements

Definition: Claims that are unconditional, leaving no room for exceptions or degrees.

Key Traits:

Use words like always, never, all, none, completely, absolutely.
Often overgeneralize or ignore nuance.

Strengths: Useful for clarity, rules, or universal truths (e.g., math, laws).

Weaknesses: Prone to being false (reality is rarely absolute) and heavily overused.

Relative Statements

Definition: Claims that acknowledge context, exceptions, or degrees.

Key Traits:

Use words like often, sometimes, most, rarely, depends, compared to.
Reflect real-world complexity.

Strengths: More accurate, flexible, and persuasive.

Weaknesses: Can seem wishy-washy if overused and sounds a bit unnatural.

Examples:

Absolute → Relative

Absolute: "All politicians are corrupt."

Relative: "Many politicians have been linked to corruption."

Absolute: "You never listen to me!"

Relative: "I feel unheard sometimes."

Absolute: "Money is the root of all evil."

Relative: "Money can enable harmful behavior."

Absolute: "Science has all the answers."

Relative: "Science provides some good explanations."

Absolute: "Smartphones are destroying society."

Relative: "Smartphones have mixed social impacts."

Absolute: "Veganism is the only ethical diet."

Relative: "Veganism aligns with some ethical principles."

Absolute: "Hard work always leads to success."

Relative: "Hard work often improves outcomes."

Absolute: "The Earth is perfectly spherical."

Relative: "The Earth is roughly spherical, with slight flattening."

Absolute: "Art is meaningless."

Relative: "Art’s meaning varies by culture and individual."

Absolute: "Humans are selfish."

Relative: "Humans can act selfishly, but also altruistically."

Absolute: "The internet makes people dumb."

Relative: "The internet changes how we process information."

Absolute: "Capitalism is the best system."

Relative: "Capitalism has strengths but also flaws."

Absolute: "Parents always know best."

Relative: "Parents often have their children’s best interests at heart."

Absolute: "History repeats itself."

Relative: "Historical patterns sometimes recur."

Absolute: "Birds always fly."

Relative: "Most birds fly, but some (like penguins) don’t."

Absolute: "The sun rises at 6 AM."

Relative: "The sun rises around 6 AM in summer here."

Absolute: "Water boils at 100°C."

Relative: "Water boils at 100°C at sea level."

Absolute: "Humans need 8 glasses of water daily."

Relative: "Hydration needs vary by activity and climate."

Absolute: "Dogs are friendly."

Relative: "Many dogs are friendly if socialized properly."

Absolute: "Chocolate is bad for you."Relative: "

Dark chocolate has health benefits in moderation."

Absolute: "All cultures value freedom."

Relative: "Freedom is prioritized differently across cultures."

Absolute: "Reading fiction is a waste of time."

Relative: "Reading fiction has cognitive and emotional benefits."

Absolute: "The brain stops developing at 18."

Relative: "The prefrontal cortex matures around age 25 and remains plastic for your entire life."

Absolute: "AI will replace all human jobs."

Relative: "AI may automate certain tasks, not all jobs."

Key Takeaways

Absolute: Bold but brittle (good for rules, bad for debates).
Relative: Nuanced and adaptable (good for discussions, bad for slogans).
Pro Tip: Use absolutes sparingly—they’re often rhetorical traps.

Bonus:

The word "some" in logic has a very wide scope.

In logic there are three main terms used: all, some and no.

All means 100%.

No means 0%.

Some means between, but not including 0-100%.

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