Is There Such a Thing as Objectivity?

At the CLV breakfast this morning, I met James from the Philosophy department for the second time, along with his close friend. After sharing a few pancakes, our conversation turned to the topic of objectivity and what it meant given its role in scientific inquiry and decision-making.

We strive for change, improvement, and development, optimising the likelihood of these outcomes by relying heavily on objective judgments. Facts form a significant part of objectivity; yet, objectivity itself may ultimately be an expression of deeply subjective, relative, and emotive human interests. These interests, if expressed in any way other than through the "objective" lens, might often be disregarded, unsupported, or unrealised. Thus, objectivity may be seen as illusory, a construct masking our true desires, which are inherently rooted in human nature. If objectivity may not be the centre of our decisions, then what truly drives our choices? Zaidi & Zaidi (2022) may offer an analogy in their article "Good is not meaningful?" that may further elaborate on this position.

Hume's Law, as discussed by Zaidi & Zaidi (2022), suggests that facts alone cannot determine what is "right" or "good." In other words, facts alone, in the absence of a judge, cannot be classified as good or bad. What may be good about gravity being 9.8 m/s2? Or what may be good about the fact that the Earth is round? Neither is inherently good nor bad; they are simply facts to the best of our knowledge, period.

“Objectivity” —a positive connotation—materialises when motivation and reason are attached when we decide about facts, or when simply we need to provide a point that supports our subjective desires using facts.

The statement "The Earth is round" may be called an “objective statement” because it serves to establish a point and persuade others. This motivation—to prove and persuade—supports the label of “objectivity” given to what is essentially a fact.

The drive to be correct and to convince others is itself an emotive, inherently subjective impulse, which is concealed under the guise of objectivity and backed by factual support. Facts, therefore, gain utility: they uphold a viewpoint, conforming to standards that ultimately help fulfil our subjective aims. Accordingly, decisions may never be purely objective but rather inherently subjective. If this perspective holds, then why has objectivity continued to be defended and valued in decision-making? Plato’s "virtue ethics" may provide insight.

This philosophy promotes goodness as a habit, where individuals act intuitively in ways that support health, well-being, and ethical norms. Such actions, becoming instinctive over time, create a sustained positive standard in society. Ascribing "objectivity" alongside virtues like these may, therefore, help establish a lasting and stable framework that feels close to an enduring “objective” reality.

Tired from contemplating the complexities of objectivity, my subjective self concedes to the proposed resolutions. With that motivation, I bring this brief piece to a close.