Absolute and Relative Facts

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

Theory of Constructed Facts

The position that facts are not simply discovered features of reality but are built through scientific, legal, and social practices. A fact is a claim that has been stabilized—tested, validated, accepted, and made to stick. This doesn't mean facts aren't real—it means their reality is achieved, not given. The Theory of Constructed Facts studies how facts are made: the work required to establish them, the controversies they survive, the infrastructure that supports them, the communities that maintain them. Facts are real, but reality doesn't come pre-fact-ed.

"You think 'climate change is real' is just a fact that was always there? Theory of Constructed Facts says: it took thousands of scientists, decades of research, satellites, models, debates, and reports to construct that fact. It's real because it was built—and the building is ongoing."

by Dumu The Void February 24, 2026

Law of Absolute and Relative Facts

The principle that facts operate in two modes: absolute facts (statements that are true regardless of perspective, context, or interpretation) and relative facts (statements that are true within a framework but may not hold across frameworks). The law acknowledges that some facts are universal—the Earth orbits the Sun, water freezes at 0°C at sea level. Other facts are framework-dependent—"this is a crime" depends on legal systems, "this is valuable" depends on markets, "this is beautiful" depends on aesthetics. The law of absolute and relative facts reconciles the reality of objective facts with the observation that many facts are socially constructed. It's the foundation of clear thinking: knowing which facts are absolute and which are relative, and never confusing the two.

Law of Absolute and Relative Facts Example: "They debated whether the company's success was a fact. Absolute facts: revenue numbers were real, measurable, undeniable. Relative facts: whether that counted as 'success' depended on profit margins, market share, and what you valued. The law of absolute and relative facts said: the numbers were absolute; their interpretation was relative. They stopped arguing about facts and started arguing about values."

by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 16, 2026

Largely due to the fact that

A phrase used in substitution of the word “because” to make one appear well-versed in the English language

Largely due to the fact that my IQ is substantially greater than that of you, I am thusly superior to you with regard to every conceivable facet of reality”

by LargeExtent October 31, 2020

rhetorical fact

A piece of information, usually not true, that a person cites in order to win an argument.

I don't really know if 1.2% of marriages end in murder, it was just a rhetorical fact to shut bob up.

by thefj February 10, 2014

Rock Fact

Any statement that sounds like it could be true, but isn't. From Emmy-award-winning mini-series "Over the Garden Wall."

"Oh. I didn't know that. Did you know that if you soak a raisin in grape juice, it becomes a grape? It's a rock fact!"

"Did you know that dinosaurs had big ears but everyone forgot 'cause dinosaurs' ears don’t have bones. You don’t remember? That’s cause it’s not true. It’s a rock fact!"

by TheHighwayman September 21, 2016

facestoning

The mindless surfing facebook completely blazed with no purpose whatsoever. Often accompanied by a gaping mouth, glazed-over eyes, and staying up late into the night accomplishing nothing.

"Dude why did you sleep til 4 in the afternoon?"
"After I came home from smoking with some people last night I ended up facestoning for hours."

by jordiebish November 18, 2009