For subjectivism, the individuality of the subject is the main element of any type of truth.
The preponderance of subjectivity is called subjectivism : that is, of the subjective . The idea of subjective, for its part, refers to that which is linked to the subject and his or her way of feeling or thinking.
Subjectivism is a position or vision that considers the individuality of the subject as a central element of any truth . According to this philosophical position, what is understood by reality depends on the person who thinks or perceives it; Therefore, there is no universal and absolute truth , since there is no reality that is independent of the mind.
Subjectivism vs. relativism
For subjectivism, all knowledge is always limited . Each truth has validity for the subject according to its specificity.
While relativism associates knowledge with factors external to the subject, subjectivism links it to issues specific to the subject. It is important to mention that subjectivism does not reject the existence of physical things, but rather maintains that they do not exist autonomously: someone is needed to think about them.
According to subjectivism, knowledge is always limited.
The concept in ethics
Subjectivism also appears in the field of ethics . What is taken as bad or good derives from an expression of the subject, making morality depend on the attitudes of the individual.
Formally, we can talk about the so-called moral subjectivism , a doctrine belonging to moral philosophy (or ethics ) according to which it is possible to reduce the bad and the good to our own opinions and attitudes.
It is important not to confuse this concept with that of moral egoism , since this requires the existence of an ethical norm that leads the individual to pursue his or her own interest . Let's say it focuses on one's own convenience, while moral subjectivism includes values, feelings and the way of thinking. Curiously, in moral egoism objectivity can take place when analyzing the potential benefits of an action, something that does not occur in subjectivism.
Different types of subjectivism
The incorrect idea is often repeated that the subjectivity of values is nothing more than a continuation of subjectivism in general, or that being skeptical of knowledge naturally gives rise to the same attitude toward objectivity. However, there are a large number of philosophers, especially those who identify with empiricism, who deny moral knowledge as such, because they believe that there is a scientist, the only one who can give a satisfactory answer to their criteria.
Within moral subjectivism we must pay attention to values, since their interpretation is not always the same: in cases where they exist independently of the subject, they can be objective; However, if they exist based on a reaction from you, then they are subjective. Here axiological subjectivism comes into play, which takes into account the position of the assessment with respect to a reference point, and this affects the resulting understanding.
Behind moral subjectivism is the Scottish philosopher David Hume , one of the most relevant names in Western philosophy of the 18th century. According to him, morality is closer to feelings than to facts. This interpretation changed over the decades in the hands of his successors. Among the moral feelings that he recognizes in people are love of life, kindness towards children and charity.
The opposite of subjectivism is objectivism , which is based on the existence of things independently of consciousness. In this sense, for objectivism, ethics is not defined by the attitude of a subject, but rather there are values that exist beyond the person who is considering them.