--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A writer who says that there are no…" description: "\"A writer who says that there are no truths, or that all truth is ‘merely relative,’ is asking you not to believe him. So don’t.\" — Roger Scruton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/roger-scruton-971_asking_a-writer-who-says-that-there-are-no-trut_2399139.jpg" --- # A writer who says that there are no truths, or that all… ![“A writer who says that there are no truths, or that all truth is ‘merely relative,’ is asking you not to believe him. So don’t.” quote by Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/roger-scruton-971_asking_a-writer-who-says-that-there-are-no-trut_2399139.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/roger-scruton-971_asking_a-writer-who-says-that-there-are-no-trut_2399139.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/roger-scruton-971_asking_a-writer-who-says-that-there-are-no-trut_2399139.jpg) > “A writer who says that there are no truths, or that all truth is ‘merely relative,’ is asking you not to believe him. So don’t.” [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Denial of absolute truth invites skepticism; trust the author’s claim. **In simple terms:** Relativism is a trap. Key Takeaway Question claims of truth. Themes philosophy truth skepticism Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - debates - academic discourse - media criticism - personal belief Key Concepts relativism epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate truth claims? - When is relativism appropriate? A Different Perspective Relativism can be useful in cultural contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truths/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A philosopher who says, 'There are no truths, only interpretations,' risks the retort: 'Is that true, or only an interpretation?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/a-philosopher-who-says-there-are-no-truths-only-interpretations-risks/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [What is happiness to me is not necessarily for you. Someone once said, there are three truths: your truth, my truth and the truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-perez/what-is-happiness-to-me-is-not-necessarily-for-you-someone-once-said/) [Fernando Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-perez/) > [“In the beginning when the world was young there were a great many thoughts but no such thing as a truth. Man made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/in-the-beginning-when-the-world-was-young-there-were-a-great-many/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [There are also two kinds of truths: truth of reasoning and truths of fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/there-are-also-two-kinds-of-truths-truth-of-reasoning-and-truths-of/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [“We think we want answers. But what we really want are the right answers. Human nature. We ask questions that we hope will give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-tudor/we-think-we-want-answers-but-what-we-really-want-are-the-right/) [C.J. Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-tudor/) > [“Different events teach us different truths and truth equips us for service.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-john-slick/different-events-teach-us-different-truths-and-truth-equips-us-for/) Matthew John Slick > [Jesus Christ doesn’t just give us truths; he is the truth. Jesus Christ is the prophet to end all prophets. He gives us hard-copy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/jesus-christ-doesn-t-just-give-us-truths-he-is-the-truth-jesus-christ/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Truth is merely common sense, say the naive realist. Really? Then where, precisely, is the location of--a rainbow? In the air? In the eye?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/truth-is-merely-common-sense-say-the-naive-realist-really-then-where/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Truth is not truth merely because it is ancient. Nor is truth necessarily to be regarded with suspicion because it is ancient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/truth-is-not-truth-merely-because-it-is-ancient-nor-is-truth/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [A truth that is merely handed on, without being thought anew from its very foundations, has lost its vital power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/a-truth-that-is-merely-handed-on-without-being-thought-anew-from-its/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [“If you try to talk about a truth that’s merely moral, people always think it’s merely metaphorical. A real live man with two legs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/if-you-try-to-talk-about-a-truth-that-s-merely-moral-people-always/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“When we are asked to swear in American courts of law—that we will tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”—we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/when-we-are-asked-to-swear-in-american-courts-of-law-that-we-will/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Do not seek after truth. Merely cease to hold opinions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/do-not-seek-after-truth-merely-cease-to-hold-opinions/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [It is not our task to secure the triumph of truth, but merely to fight on its behalf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/it-is-not-our-task-to-secure-the-triumph-of-truth-but-merely-to-fight/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The will to truth is merely the longing for a stable world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-will-to-truth-is-merely-the-longing-for-a-stable-world/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by Roger Scruton > [Beauty is vanishing from our world because we live as though it does not matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/beauty-is-vanishing-from-our-world-because-we-live-as-though-it-does/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“So conceived, the English police force served to emphasize a fundamental truth about the English law, which is that it exists not to control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/so-conceived-the-english-police-force-served-to-emphasize-a/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [My 2018 ended with a hate storm, in response to my appointment as chair of the government's Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/my-2018-ended-with-a-hate-storm-in-response-to-my-appointment-as/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [I've never been an optimist, but that's fine because pessimists have the possibility of being agreeably surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-ve-never-been-an-optimist-but-that-s-fine-because-pessimists-have/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Unlike every other product that is now manufactured for the table, wine exists in as many varieties as there are people who produce it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/unlike-every-other-product-that-is-now-manufactured-for-the-table/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [The abstract, unreal freedom of the liberal intellect was really nothing more than childish disobedience, amplified into anarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/the-abstract-unreal-freedom-of-the-liberal-intellect-was-really/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“I think we can all see the force of the idea that there are certain things that cannot be done to human beings –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-think-we-can-all-see-the-force-of-the-idea-that-there-are-certain/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [When art becomes merely shock value, our sense of humanity is slowly degraded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/when-art-becomes-merely-shock-value-our-sense-of-humanity-is-slowly/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Western democracies did not create the virtue of citizenship; on the contrary, they grew from it. Nothing is more evident in The Federalist than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/western-democracies-did-not-create-the-virtue-of-citizenship-on-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“If one looks back to the French Revolution, one sees just how easy it is for the doctrine of “human rights” to become an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/if-one-looks-back-to-the-french-revolution-one-sees-just-how-easy-it/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“I say it was immediately apparent, but it was not apparent to the intellectual class, which has remained largely wedded to the post-war consensus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-say-it-was-immediately-apparent-but-it-was-not-apparent-to-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Conservatives hold on to things not only because they are attached to them, but also because they do not see the sense in radical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/conservatives-hold-on-to-things-not-only-because-they-are-attached-to/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Academic philosophers in the English speaking world still regard philosophy as Locke defined it in the 17th century, as “the handmaiden of the sciences”:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/academic-philosophers-in-the-english-speaking-world-still-regard/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Delia Smith is, actually, my bete noire. I consider her a most pernicious influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/delia-smith-is-actually-my-bete-noire-i-consider-her-a-most/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Modern art was born from a desire to destroy kitsch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/modern-art-was-born-from-a-desire-to-destroy-kitsch/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) [Explore all 317 Roger Scruton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) ## More Asking quotes > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“Stop asking yourself how or why and tell yourself you can." - Charmainism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-smith-ladd/stop-asking-yourself-how-or-why-and-tell-yourself-you-can-charmainism/) [Charmaine Smith Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-smith-ladd/) > [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [People will identify with a persecuted minority without asking themselves what they are identifying with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/people-will-identify-with-a-persecuted-minority-without-asking/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [If you're having a bad day already and everybody is just asking you petty questions, it drives people to the edge, or something really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/if-you-re-having-a-bad-day-already-and-everybody-is-just-asking-you/) [Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/) > [You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so, how could we take it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-never-give-away-your-heart-you-lend-it-from-time-to-time-if-it/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I'm not asking people to feel sorry for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/i-m-not-asking-people-to-feel-sorry-for-me/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [Use Google Before Asking A Stupid Question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muskaan/use-google-before-asking-a-stupid-question/) [Muskaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muskaan/) > [There were people asking 'Can women be funny?' People still ask that. It's like asking: 'Can women breathe in and out?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-walters/there-were-people-asking-can-women-be-funny-people-still-ask-that-it/) [Julie Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-walters/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [Love cannot be had for the asking; it comes only as a gift from the heart of another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/love-cannot-be-had-for-the-asking-it-comes-only-as-a-gift-from-the/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) Browse all 3,313 Asking quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A writer who says that there are no truths, or that all truth is ‘merely relative,’ is asking you not to believe him. 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