Week II Meta-Ethics Flashcards
What is subjectivism
type of relativism
moral norms vary from individual to individual
there are no objective moral properties and that ethical statements are in fact arbitrary because they do not express immutable truths. … Thus, for a statement to be considered morally right merely means that it is met with approval by the person of interest.
What is cultural relativism
the rightness of an action is determined by what people in a given culture and by large believe
Cultural relativism is the idea that a person’s beliefs and practices should be understood based on that person’s own culture.
What is appealing and troublesome about subjectivism?
Appealing cuz seems tolerant
For me, …
What is appealing & troublesome about cultural relativism?
Appealing cuz tolerant to moral diversity
What is universalism?
at least some moral norms and values are universal
Value that explains other norms
Recognizes some cultural differences but not all
What is appealing & troublesome about universalism?
common ground
Appeal of relativism
- Relativism has un undeniable appeal, because it seem so to be a tolerant view; however, it faces a number of challenges.
We are not morally obliged to do …
There’s a principle in ethics that says that we are not morally obligated to do what we cannot do.
“Ought implies can” (attributed to Kant)
Realm of feasibilities vs. realm of moral obligations
Normative vs. descriptive
This principle distinguishes between the world as it is (the descriptive level) and the world as it should be (the normative level).
Normative ethics
challenging status and authority
Moral relativism
the view that moral judgments are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint (for instance, that of a culture or a historical period) and that no standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others. … Many moral relativists, however, take the fact-value distinction to be fundamental
No universal truths at all
Relativism supported by tolerance
