HR100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Moral Relativism, Cultural Relativism, Cultural Imperialism
Document Summary
Hr 100 day 3 universalism & cultural relativism. All morals are fundamental at all times & in all places. Basic hu(cid:373)a(cid:374) rights do(cid:374)"t var(cid:455) depe(cid:374)di(cid:374)g o(cid:374) religio(cid:374), cultural or historic co(cid:374)te(cid:454)t. Stresses that moral values determined by religion, culture, history & social contexts. Often a delicate effort to balance relativism & universalism. Human rights is natural law & natural right: liberal western political thought. Norms are only appropriate in the culture in which they emerge. Hr emerged in the west should be applied in the west. Relevatist critics of hr represent western stated to impose western values on non- western societies. Relativists dismiss universal hr as a form of cultural imperialism: the us is particularly guilty of this. Colonial legacy relativism stems from colonialism: colonialists justify subjugation of first nations by asserting moral superiority of colonizing countries in name of spreading moral values systematically killed and maimed people targeted for salvation.