Try the Koran. A lot of people seem to like it, and it's as good as any other source of superstitious "absoultes."
Sorry, logic (law of contradiction) does not allow A to be both A and non-A at the same time, and that is what you are suggesting by saying something can be both absolute and relative.
Sometimes ... ah well, look, do you know the formula e=ir. Well, that's absolute, isn't it. The voltage will aways equal the current time the resistance. (Don't tell me this only applies to AC and doesn't account for reactance, etc. etc. It is a DC formula). Now tell me, for any particular DC circuit, since we have this absolute law, what is the voltage? You cannot tell, because it depends on how much current there is and the resistance in the circuit. Actual voltage is relative to actual resistance and current.
Relative and absolute are not things. To say something is both relative and absolute does not violate the law of contradiction because the law only applies to things "in the same context." So, moral principles are determined by the nature of the case (just like Ohm's law) but how those principles are applied are determined relative to the facts of each case. Any other law is arbitrary, having no relationship to reality or real values.
...10 commandments - these are REAL moral absolutes...
But you do not believe they are really absolute. Why should anyone else.
Hank
The law of contradiction is a logical law and does not apply to the many variables of electricity. Poor analogy.
Relative and absolute are not things. To say something is both relative and absolute does not violate the law of contradiction because the law only applies to things "in the same context." So, moral principles are determined by the nature of the case (just like Ohm's law) but how those principles are applied are determined relative to the facts of each case. Any other law is arbitrary, having no relationship to reality or real values.
Baloney. n You do not understand basic logic. The law of contradiction recognizes that human reality is based on "antithesis," and deals with "either/or" questions. Not all questions are either/or questions but whether something is aboslute or relative is indeed an either/or question. A leaf is either green or it is red. Which is it? I either exist or I don't. Which? You heart is either beating or it isn't. Which? Moral absolutes are either from God (absolute) or from man (relative). Which? Can't be from both at the same time. Besides, no moral from a man can possibly be absolute becuase moral absolutes are universal in scope and nothing man can do is universal. You need more thinking in this.
...10 commandments - these are REAL moral absolutes... But you do not believe they are really absolute. Why should anyone else. Oh, I absolutely do - because they are! Is lying wrong or not? Is stealing wrong or not? Is murder wrong or not? Is adultery wrong or not (ask Ayn Rand that one!).