:I can also understand the confusion. Answer's long page of definitions gives only a single one that really states Absolute as being the opposite of relative, and that's way down in an Encyclopedia entry about philosophy. 
 :Add to this confusion the fact that the standard for radiometric dating is actually to define dates relatively: x million years before present. 
 :While I think the article is correct in it's use of "absolute", a qualifier such as (e.g. not relative) could do no harm. —  |