Module 4 - Moral Relativism and Subjectivism

Question 1

theoretical criticisms (2) of Moral Subjectivism

Answer 1

it justifies anything, makes moral progress impossible

Question 2

Moral Subjectivism

Answer 2

ethical theory that takes individual belief as its moral standard.
Bridge statement= claims that an act is right iff an individual approves of it.
If the practical claim is true, that the act is approved by an individual, then a Moral Subjectivist concludes that the act is right

Question 3

practical criticism (1) of Moral Subjectivism

Answer 3

beliefs are not chosen (beliefs can only be changed indirectly)

Question 4

Moral Relativism

Answer 4

ethical theory that takes societal belief as its moral standard. Bridge statement = an act is right iff society approves it.
If the practical claim is true, and an act is approved by society, then a Moral Relativist concludes that the act is right

Question 5

Theoretical criticisms (2) of Moral Relativism

Answer 5

justifies anything, makes moral progress impossible (bc lack of moral standard outside of society –> impossible to judge moral improvement
)

Question 6

Practical criticism of Moral Relativism

Answer 6

the meaning of “society” is not clear (diff social groups

Question 7

Moral relativism sometimes justified by claim that

Answer 7

it promotes tolerance between diff societeis, but this would make tolerance a universal and objective moral value, which contradicts the relativist claim that values depend on different societies (bc they instead now depend on tolerance)

Question 8

Pluralistic Relativism

Answer 8

different societies express the same values in different ways
But this assumes that a universal and objective set of moral values exist, which also contradicts the relativist claim (that values are depended on diff societies)

Question 9

Moral Objectivism

Answer 9

ethical theory that there is only one universal moral standard that holds for all