ABSTRACT
In this chapter I explore the relationship between one branch of feminist epistemology – standpoint theory – and epistemic relativism. I begin by defining both views, and by briefly recounting the standard ways the connection between them is understood. So far the literature has focused on an aspect of standpoint theory called the epistemic advantage thesis, and on an aspect of relativism called equality. I show that the connection actually turns on a different aspect of standpoint theory – the standpoint thesis – and on an aspect of relativism called non-neutrality. I argue that shifting our attention to these aspects reveals that standpoint theory is clearly and unavoidably relativist, but unproblematically so – standpoint theory can capture everything it sets out to, even on a relativist understanding of the view.
