week 5: realism, anti-realism, and relativism

Question 1

describe moral realism

Answer 1

• things are objectively right/wrong
  
  • ex: human rights
  • common universal intrinsic dignity
• the idea that there are mind-independent features of reality that can serve as the basis for objective moral knowledge
• seems to fit with our phenomenal experience of making moral judgments

Question 2

describe moral anti-realism

Answer 2

• opposite of moral realism
• subjective
• the denial of moral realism
• relativism is a form of anti-realism
• 2 types:
  
  • ethical claims are statements of perceptions (preferred); no true/false
  • there’s no objective right or wrong around nature
    
    • nothing to ground our objective matter

Question 3

describe the 3 types of relativism

Answer 3

• descriptive relativism: represents the anthropological/sociological analysis of how values have differed across time and cultures
  
  • look at how value structures differ
  • noting that differences exist
• metaethical relativism: moral principles can only be true relative to specific individuals, groups, and cultures
  
  • agree with descriptive relativism, but moral principles can only be true
• normative relativism: agrees with the above forms of relativism and further asserts that moral judgments across different cultures and communities are illegitimate and should not be made
  
  • how we ought to behave out of metaethic result
  • never make cross-cultural judgment
    
    • ex: not criticize jehovah witnesses and vice versa

Question 4

describe the objections to moral relativism

Answer 4

• self-referential inconsistency
• reductio ad absurdum problems
  
  • characterizing an opposing argument in such a way that it seems to be ridiculous, or the consequences of the position seem ridiculous.
• pluralism vs relativism and the possibility of moral dialogue
• is moral relativism relative to a specific culture?
  
  • the principle of this won’t be subjective anymore
  • undermining the force of the claim
• it conflicts with our ability to have dialogue
• human beings are fundamentally disconnected