Protagorean
9.9
About the idea that truth is different for each person
- adjective
- /proʊˈtæɡəriən/
- Formal
:
protagoreano
- Protagorean efforts to make man the measure of all things.
Examples
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The Protagorean perspective emphasizes that each individual's beliefs shape their understanding of truth.
-
Her arguments reflected a Protagorean philosophy, suggesting that what is true for one person may not be true for another.
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In a Protagorean view, moral values can vary based on personal experiences and cultural backgrounds.
Surface Forms
Protagorean positive
Morphology
Protagorean = Protagoras (opaque) = Protagoras + ean
The word is derived from the proper noun 'Protagoras' with the suffix '-ean', but the resulting philosophical meaning is not transparent to learners.
Etymology
Protagorean comes from the Greek thinker Protagoras, who said 'man is the measure' to show that truth depends on each person's view. So a Protagorean idea describes thinking that sees truth as relative to each person.
