Ethical Relativism

Question 1

What is moral absolutism?

Answer 1

The belief that there are universal moral rules that apply to everyone, regardless of the circumstances or consequences.

Question 2

Why do people disagree with moral absolutism?

Answer 2

Some believe that the consequences of an act or its surrounding circumstances should affect its moral judgment, and that absolutism doesn’t respect cultural diversity or tradition.

Question 3

What is an example of a law that reflects moral absolutism?

Answer 3

Declaration of Human Rights

Question 4

What is the key difference between moral absolutism and ethical relativism?

Answer 4

Moral absolutism believes in universal moral rules, while ethical relativism holds that morality is relative to cultural or societal norms.

Question 5

What is ethical relativism?

Answer 5

The theory that there are no absolute ethical standards and that moral right or wrong is determined by the norms and beliefs of a specific society.

Question 6

What is the diversity thesis?

Answer 6

The idea that people across cultures have different moral beliefs, but these differences may be due to non-moral beliefs or differences in circumstances.

Question 7

Examples of where diversity thesis is reflected

Answer 7

Fidelity in marriage, differences in etiqutte, social standards

Question 8

What is the relativity thesis?

Answer 8

The view that the rightness or wrongness of moral beliefs depends on the moral tradition or cultural context of those who hold them.

Question 9

Examples of relativity thesis

Answer 9

Abortion, corporal punishment, torture

Question 10

What is the toleration thesis in ethical relativism?

Answer 10

The idea that we should adopt a tolerant attitude toward individuals or social groups with different moral beliefs and not impose our own moral beliefs on them.

Question 11

Define toleration

Answer 11

Means refraining from using force to impose the moral beliefs of one’s own culture on other cultures

Question 12

Provide examples of toleration thesis

Answer 12

Same sex marriage, prostitution

Question 13

What is one argument against ethical relativism?

Answer 13

If ethical relativism were true, we could not criticize the moral standards of other societies, and we would have to accept the moral standards of our own society as automatically correct.

Question 14

What does the theory of ethical relativism imply?

Answer 14

It implies that whatever the majority in our society believes about morality is automatically correct

Question 15

What is a criticism of the argument from cultural differences?

Answer 15

It mistakenly concludes that because people disagree about moral issues, there is no objective moral truth.

Question 16

What can we learn from cultural relativism?

Answer 16

It teaches us to respect cultural differences and recognize that many of our own practices are not universal but culturally specific.

Question 17

What does ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do’ mean in the context of ethics?

Answer 17

It suggests that one should observe local etiquette and customs when in a different society, but it does not justify adopting immoral practices like slavery.

Question 18

What is an example of moral absolutism?

Answer 18

Believing that killing an innocent person is always morally wrong, regardless of the situation.

Question 19

How do Eskimo marriage customs illustrate cultural relativism?

Answer 19

Eskimo customs, such as men sharing their wives with guests, differ significantly from Western norms, highlighting the idea that moral practices vary by culture.

Question 20

What is an example of an incoherent consequence of ethical relativism?

Answer 20

It would mean that the majority’s belief in a society automatically makes that belief morally correct, which can justify immoral practices like slavery.

Question 21

What norms do all societies have? (3)

Answer 21

1. Norms against injuring or killing
2. Norms about using language truthfully
3. Norms against taking the personal goods of other members of one’s society

Question 22

How does the toleration thesis relate to cultural relativism?

Answer 22

It argues that we should tolerate other cultures’ moral beliefs, but this obligation is not binding on cultures that do not value tolerance.

Question 23

Why is ethical relativism considered a challenge to ethics?

Answer 23

Because it denies the existence of universal moral truths, making it difficult to establish a consistent ethical standard across societies.

Question 24

What role do moral traditions play in ethical relativism?

Answer 24

Moral traditions shape what is considered right or wrong in a society, with ethical relativism asserting that these standards are valid only within their specific cultural context.

Question 25

What is cultural relativism?

Answer 25

The view that what is considered morally right or wrong varies from culture to culture, and that there are no universal moral standards that apply to all societies.

Question 26

What is a potential flaw in ethical relativism?

Answer 26

It implies that practices like slavery or apartheid could be morally acceptable in societies where they are culturally accepted.

Question 27

What lesson can be drawn from the conclusion on ethical relativism?

Answer 27

While we should respect cultural practices, we should not accept immoral acts simply because they are practiced in a particular society.