The theory that progress operates in two modes: absolute progress (improvement by any standard, for anyone, in any context) and relative progress (improvement within a framework, by certain measures, for certain groups). The Theory of Absolute and Relative Progress argues that claims of progress are often relative masquerading as absolute. Technological progress (new gadgets) may hide social regress (worse working conditions). Economic progress (GDP growth) may hide ecological regress (environmental destruction). The theory calls for distinguishing between the two, for asking "progress for whom?" and "progress by what measure?" before celebrating.
Theory of Absolute and Relative Progress Example: "The government celebrated economic progress—GDP up, markets booming. But inequality had grown, wages had stagnated, the environment had suffered. The Theory of Absolute and Relative Progress explained: relative progress for capital, not absolute progress for people. The celebration was for some, not all. He started asking who was progressing and who was paying."
by Abzugal February 21, 2026
Get the Theory of Absolute and Relative Progress mug.A distinction between facts that hold independently of any perspective or context, and facts that are true only within a specific framework. Absolute Facts are the ones everyone must accept regardless of their beliefs: water is H2O, gravity exists, you were born on a specific date. Relative Facts are true relative to a particular system: the fact that "this painting is beautiful" is true relative to your aesthetic framework but not universally; the fact that "this move is illegal" is true relative to the rules of chess. The trouble starts when people treat Relative Facts as Absolute, or deny Absolute Facts because they conflict with their Relative framework.
Absolute and Relative Facts "He keeps saying his 'facts' are different from my 'facts.' But gravity is an Absolute Fact—it doesn't care about your perspective. Whether this painting is 'good' is a Relative Fact, and we can disagree without one of us being wrong about reality."
by Dumu The Void February 23, 2026
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A companion distinction to Absolute/Relative Facts, but focused on propositions rather than brute reality. Absolute Truths are statements that correspond to reality in a way that transcends all perspectives, contexts, and frameworks. "2+2=4" is an Absolute Truth in arithmetic. Relative Truths are statements that are true within a particular framework but not necessarily outside it. "Stealing is wrong" might be true within a moral framework but isn't a brute fact about the universe. The confusion arises when people insist their Relative Truths are Absolute, or when they use the existence of Relative Truth to deny that any Absolute Truth exists at all.
Absolute and Relative Truths "You think your moral code is absolutely true for everyone, but it's actually just true relative to your culture and upbringing. Meanwhile, you're using that relativism to deny that 'torturing babies for fun is wrong' might actually be an Absolute Truth. Pick a struggle."
by Dumu The Void February 23, 2026
Get the Absolute and Relative Truths mug.A logical fallacy where someone cites the worst outcomes of a system, ideology, or idea and uses those exceptional cases to dismiss the entire framework, while ignoring that all large-scale systems produce both positive and negative outcomes. The "Communism killed millions" argument is the classic example—it points to historical atrocities committed in the name of communism, treats those as the whole truth about communist thought, and dismisses any communist ideas or achievements as irrelevant. The fallacy lies in the relativization: exceptional horrors become the universal measure, while comparable horrors under other systems are minimized or excused. It's not that the deaths aren't real—it's that using them as a conversation-stopper prevents any serious comparative analysis or contextual understanding.
"We were discussing healthcare reform, and someone mentioned learning from Nordic social democracy. Response: 'Socialism killed millions!' That's the Fallacy of the Relative Exception—taking the worst historical examples and using them to dismiss any policy that shares a family resemblance, while ignoring that capitalism has also killed millions through exploitation, poverty, and preventable disease. The exception becomes the rule when it serves your argument."
by Dumu The Void February 28, 2026
Get the Fallacy of the Relative Exception mug.The principle that ad hoc constructions operate in two modes: absolute ad hocs (solutions or explanations that are so perfect for their specific case that they achieve a kind of universal validity within that case) and relative ad hocs (temporary fixes that work for now, in this context, but won't survive beyond it). The law acknowledges that some ad hoc solutions become permanent—the temporary fix that becomes the standard, the one-off explanation that becomes the theory. Others remain forever ad hoc, useful only in their original context. The law of absolute and relative ad hocs helps distinguish between the ad hoc that transcends its origins and the ad hoc that remains forever local.
Law of the Absolute and Relative Ad Hocs Example: "His ad hoc fix for the leaking pipe—a clamp and some rubber—worked so well it became the permanent solution. The law of absolute and relative ad hocs said: this ad hoc transcended its origins; it became absolute for this pipe. His later ad hoc fix for a relationship problem—flowers and an apology—remained relative: it worked once, for that fight, and couldn't be generalized. Both were valid in their way."
by Dumu The Void February 17, 2026
Get the Law of the Absolute and Relative Ad Hocs mug.The principle that fallacies operate in two modes: absolute fallacies (errors that are fallacious in all contexts, by any reasonable standard) and relative fallacies (errors that are fallacious in some contexts but may be acceptable or even valid in others). The law acknowledges that some fallacies are universally wrong—affirming the consequent, denying the antecedent, non sequiturs that genuinely don't follow. Other fallacies are context-dependent—appeals to emotion that are appropriate in some settings, ad hominem that is relevant, slippery slopes that sometimes happen. The law of absolute and relative fallacies reconciles the need for logical standards with the reality of contextual reasoning.
Law of the Absolute and Relative Fallacies Example: "They debated whether his emotional appeal was fallacious. Absolute fallacies: non sequiturs, formal errors—he hadn't committed those. Relative fallacies: emotional appeals can be fallacious in some contexts, appropriate in others. Here, asking for compassion was relevant. The law said: relatively, not absolutely fallacious. She accepted the nuance, which is rare in online arguments."
by Dumu The Void February 17, 2026
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