Objectivity is both a metaphysical and an epistemological
concept. It pertains to the relationship of consciousness to
existence. Metaphysically, it is the recognition of the fact
that reality exists independent of any perceiver’s
consciousness. Epistemologically, it is the recognition of the
fact that a perceiver’s (man’s) consciousness must acquire
knowledge of reality by certain means (reason) in accordance
with certain rules (logic). This means that although reality is
immutable and, in any given context, only one answer is true,
the truth is not automatically available to a human
consciousness and can be obtained only by a certain mental
process which is required of every man who seeks knowledge—that
there is no substitute for this process, no escape from the
responsibility for it, no shortcuts, no special revelations to
privileged observers—and that there can be no such thing as a
final “authority” in matters pertaining to human knowledge.
Metaphysically, the only authority is reality; epistemologically