THEORIES OFETHICAL RELATIVISM

ANDETHICAL ABSOLUTISM

Presented by:

Nathan Bennett

Terri Small

PJ White

THEORY OF RELATIVISM

No single moral standard applies equally to all people

There are many codes and standards Morality is relative to the norms of one’s

culture

THEORY OF ABSOLUTISM

There is a single moral standard that does not change; it is absolute

Basic and fundamental ethical principles are true regardless of time, condition, or circumstances

ABSOLUTISM

“What is absolutely true is always correct, everywhere, all the time, under any condition. An entity’s ability to discern these things is irrelevant to that state of truth.”

–Steven Robiner

CONTRIBUTORS The first clear statement of relativism

comes with the Sophist Protagoras, as quoted by Plato:

"The way things appear to me, in that way they exist for me; and the way things appears to you, in that way they exist for you"

CONTRIBUTORS

…moral values are relative to cultures and there is no way of showing that the values of one culture are better than those of another.

American Anthropological Association – 1947

CONTRIBUTORS

Social scientists who devoted considerable attention to the moralities of different culturesEdward Westermarck (1906-8 and 1932)Richard B. Brandt (1954) John Ladd (1957)

CONTRIBUTORS Many religions have morally absolutist

positions their system of morality is derived from

the commands of a god.

CRITICISM OF RELATIVISM

It would mean that even the most outrageous practices, are “right” if they are countenanced by the standards of the relevant society.

CRITICISM OF RELATIVISM

Deprives us of any means of raising moral objections against social customs, provided that those customs are approved by the codes of the societies in which they exist.

CRITICISM OF RELATIVISM

To claim that there is no legitimate way to judge a society’s practices “from the outside,” critics reply that we can always ask whether a particular cultural practice works to the advantage or disadvantage of the people within the culture.

CRITICISM OF RELATIVISM

If every cultural system is valid, then none is better or worse compared to another cultural system.

CRITICISM OF ABSOLUTISM

A belief in absolute "right and wrong" can potentially be used to justify any number of acts that might generally be considered to be "atrocities".

THE DILEMMA OF EUTHANASIA

Is it ethical or moral to kill someone or assist the suicide of someone who is old or ill?

ETHICAL DILEMMA - EUTHANASIA The relativistic

approachkilling someone

who was ill or old could be a morally sound practice

The absolutist approachViolation of:

fundamental human right to life

Law of one’s god

ETHICAL DILEMMA - EUTHANASIA In some societies, killing one's parents

after they reached a certain age is common practice the belief that people were better off in

the afterlife if they entered it while still physically active and vigorous.

Some Hindus say that by helping to end a painful life a person is performing a good deed and so fulfilling their moral obligations.“

ETHICAL DILEMMA - EUTHANASIA

"The equality-of-human-life ethic requires that each of us be considered of equal inherent moral worth, and it makes the preservation and protection of human life society's first priority.-

Wesley Smith, JD

REVIEWQuestions to ponder

REVIEW QUESTION ONE How “right” do you think it is to have

one moral standard applicable to all people?

REVIEW QUESTION TWO Is it acceptable for a person to perform

an action deemed acceptable within their culture, while residing in a culture with different moral belief (i.e. female genital mutilation, wife beating, segregation of females)?

REVIEW QUESTION THREE If you were forced to move to a different

country would you follow their cultural practices even if they were against your personal ethical and moral beliefs, or would you rather die standing up for what you believe in?