Ethical Relativism

Ethical Relativism
No cross-cultural moral standards. Unique to each culture.

1. How Different Cultures Have Different Moral Codes
Different cultures have different beliefs. What might be normal to some are horrifying to others.

2. Cultural Relativism
No universal ethics. What is right in every society is right in every society. Outside cannot interfere.

3. The Cultural Differences Argument
Right and wrong are only matters of opinion.

Cultural Differences Argument = not sound.
There is no objective truth because some beliefs may simply be wrong.
(How do we determine what is right and wrong morally?)

4. The Consequences of Taking Cultural Relativism Seriously
We could not condemn other cultures' practices because they are simply "different." Can't stop other nations from taking slaves.

Can't condemn within our own culture. Cultures will never change because the standards will always be reinforced.

Cannot change for progress and reform. Past thinking is never wrong, because it was right for a period of time.

5. Why There is Less Disagreement than it Seems
The difference is in out belief system and not our values. Customs may simply be different and not values.

6. How All Cultures Have Some Values in Common
There are some moral rules that all societies must have in common, because those rules are necessary for society to exist (like protecting the young, not lying, and no murder).

7. judging a Cultural Practice to be Undesirable
Is the a culture-neutral standard of right and wrong? You must ask, whether the practice promotes or hinders the welfare of the people whose lives are affected by it.

Why, despite all this, thoughtful people may nevertheless be reluctant to criticize other cultures? Previous attempts to shift outside cultures in the past were disaster, but there is a right and wrong way of doing it by either understanding the world or forcing beliefs.

People try to be tolerant of others, but not all beliefs and cultures are equally right.

Don't want to show contempt for another society, but it does not mean that everything is bad if you criticize a culture, just some things.

8. What Can Be Learned From Cultural Relativism
It reminds us that not all of our norms are universal and that our ways are not the only ways.

We want to avoid being arrogant and have an open mind.