Why do critics argue that postmodernism leads to epistemological relativism?

Critics argue that postmodernism leads to epistemological relativism because it rejects the existence of an objective reality and denies that statements about the world can be objectively true or false. By asserting that reality, knowledge, and values are not discovered but are instead constructed by discourses—shared linguistic and social practices—postmodernists suggest that no single perspective, including that of science, holds a superior claim to truth.12

This perspective leads to relativism because it implies there is no neutral or objective standpoint from which to evaluate or compare competing intellectual frameworks. Critics contend that if reason and logic are merely conceptual constructs valid only within specific traditions, then the ability to establish universal knowledge is undermined. Consequently, postmodernism is often viewed as a form of radical skepticism that reduces intellectual inquiry to the influence of power, gender, or social identity, rather than an objective pursuit of reality.3241