Ethical Relativism Introduction to Ethical Relativism Standard Ethical

Introduction to Ethical Relativism Standard Ethical View: Rational and Impartial ► Ethical standpoint must

Challenges to Standard View Standard view ► Rationality ► Impartiality Challenge ► Ethical relativism:

Travel to an Exotic Land You are the guest of a tribe that practices

Are There Any Universal Truths That Apply to All Persons at All Times? Ethical

Distinguish Ethical Relativism from Sociological Relativism (purely descriptive claim): Cultures differ in their beliefs

Can We Use Sociological Relativism to Argue for Ethical Relativism? ► Different cultures have

Reduction to Absurdity Arguments Premise X (logically leads to) Premise Y and we KNOW

Ethical Relativism Absurdities ► Moral comparisons among groups would be meaningless. judgments even within

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Ethical Relativism

Introduction to Ethical Relativism Standard Ethical View: Rational and Impartial ► Ethical standpoint must be based on reasoning, which is common to all persons. ► Ethical standpoint must be impartial: all persons considered equally.

Challenges to Standard View Standard view ► Rationality ► Impartiality Challenge ► Ethical relativism: what is right is not based on universal reason but on beliefs of each culture. ► Ethical egoism: our only obligation is to ourselves

Travel to an Exotic Land You are the guest of a tribe that practices a ritual of killing a child to kill each year in order to please the gods and assure health and prosperity for the coming year. It is considered a great honor to be chosen to be killed or to do the killing. Since you are an honored guest, you are offered the spear to kill the child. Would it be morally wrong for you to participate?

Are There Any Universal Truths That Apply to All Persons at All Times? Ethical Absolutism: YES Ethical Relativism: NO ►Consequentialism What is ethically right is dependent on (relative to) the culture and period of history. ►Nonconsequentialism (Both theories are absolutist and based on universal reasoning)

Distinguish Ethical Relativism from Sociological Relativism (purely descriptive claim): Cultures differ in their beliefs about ethics Ethical Relativism: What is true in ethics differs from culture to culture.

Can We Use Sociological Relativism to Argue for Ethical Relativism? ► Different cultures have different moral beliefs (S. R. ) ► Hidden premise? ► Therefore, there is no universal truth in ethics. (E. R. )

Reduction to Absurdity Arguments Premise X (logically leads to) Premise Y and we KNOW Premise Y is false; thus premise X is false. X. Heart disease is contagious Y. unrelated people living with those who have heart disease have a greater chance of getting it. X. Utilitarianism Y. “slavery is sometimes morally okay”

Ethical Relativism Absurdities ► Moral comparisons among groups would be meaningless. judgments even within a group would be impossible. ► Ultimately, “might makes right. ” ► Moral