PHIL 2103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Moral Absolutism, Subjectivism, Conventionalism
7 May 2018
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Department
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Relative morality vs. moral absolutes
• Ethical relativism
o Subjectivism
o Conventionalism
• Ethical objectivism
o Strong moral absolutism
o Weak moral absolutism
Ruth Benedict: Morality Is Relative
• Benedict argues that the moral standards of various cultures vary depending on the unique
histories and environments of those cultures
• Therefore, there are no objective moral standards, just the moral systems that are relative to
specific societies
• Dependent on each culture
Cultural relativism is a theory about the nature of morality
• Different societies have different moral codes
• The moral code of a society determines what is right within that society
• There is ot ojetie stadard that a e used to judge oe soiety’s ode as etter tha
aother’s
• The moral code of our own society has no special status; it is but one among many
• It is mere arrogance for us to judge the conduct of other people. We should adopt an attitude of
tolerance toward the practices of other cultures
Cultural differences argument:
• Different cultures have different moral codes
• “o there is o ojetie truth i orality. Right ad rog are oly atters of opiio, ad
opinions vary from culture to culture
James Rachels
• The ultural differees arguet agai…
1. If people’s oral judgeets differ between cultures, then moral standards are relative to
culture (there are no objective moral truths)
2. People’s oral judgeets do i fat differ etee ultures
3. Therefore, moral standards are relative to culture (cultural relativism)
Implications of cultural relativism
• It implies that cultures are morally infallible
• It implies that other cultures are beyond criticism
• It entails that all social reformers are never right
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