Law of Absolute and Relative Logical Validity

The principle that logical validity operates in two modes: absolute validity (an argument that is valid in all logical systems, by any reasonable standard) and relative validity (an argument that is valid within a particular logical framework but may not hold in others). The law acknowledges that some arguments are universally valid—if all humans are mortal and Socrates is human, then Socrates is mortal holds in any logic that includes those rules. Other arguments are valid only within specific systems—a proof that works in classical logic may fail in paraconsistent logic. The law of absolute and relative validity reconciles these by recognizing that validity has both universal and context-dependent dimensions.

Law of Absolute and Relative Logical Validity Example: "They debated whether his argument was valid. He insisted it was absolutely valid (true in any logic). She pointed out it relied on the law of excluded middle, which doesn't hold in intuitionistic logic. The law of absolute and relative validity said: valid in classical logic (relative validity), not universally valid (absolute validity failed). Both were right, which is why logic is complicated."

by Abzugal February 16, 2026