Pp224 Lesson 3 - Ethical Relativism

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Ethical Relativism

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The view that moral codes and the practices associated with them arise from particular cultures and that there is no set of trans-cultural moral standards against which any particular code or practice can be assessed

4 features of ethical relativism

P.6

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2 Key Points of Ethical Relativism

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1. the view captures something important about our current conception of our world. The fact of multiculturalism has made many people realize that there is something suspect about one group forcing its moral code on another. There is something undeniably praiseworthy in this attitude and nothing that is said in the criticism to follow is meant to dismiss this aspect of our worldview

2. ethical relativism is not a form of skepticism about morality. The ethical relativist is not saying that there are no moral truths, only that whatever truths there are arise out of particular cultures (p.7)

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1. The Problem of Moral Error

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Most of us find it difficult to relinquish the notion that it is possible to make moral mistakes, but it may be that ethical relativism simply misunderstands the nature of such mistakes.

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2. The Problem of Moral Disagreement

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A similar problem concerns the nature of moral disagreement. In your textbook there is a mock conversation between John and Bob, each a member of a distinct culture. It really looks like they are having a moral disagreement, but it is difficult to see how the ethical relativist could describe them this way. As above, if correct, the ethical relativist cannot make sense of a key element of our moral practice.

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3. The Alleged Duty of Tolerance

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Tolerance certainly seems like a great thing. But is the ethical relativist in any position to say why? Look carefully at the argument about James in your textbook to see what the problem is.