Ethical Relativism

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Recommended: Arguments against ethical relativism

Part 1: The theory of Ethical Relativism
a) An explanation of the claims of the theory of Ethical Relativism.
Ethical relativism holds the position that there are no universal moral absolutes, and no moral right and wrongs, but instead, that right and wrong are based on social norms, the norms of one's culture. In other words, all points of view are evenly valid, and it's the individual that determines which is both true and relative for themselves. Ethical relativism hypothesizes that the truth is different for different people, not simply that different people consider different things to be true.[1]
For ethical relativism, the prescriptive view is that different groups of people ought to have different ethical standards for evaluating acts …show more content…

Slavery is a good example of this.
In America two hundred years ago slavery was the 'norm', and was both morally and culturally acceptable. Now abolished, and slavery seen as unethical and immoral, this shows one of the major disadvantages of ethical relativism, that truth, justice, and right and wrong, are all relative.
Ethical relativism can be looked at from different angles; subjective and conventional. The subjective view is that the truth of moral principles is nothing to do with ones culture but only relative to individuals. Personal believe in what is right and wrong is completely up to the individual.
Conventional ethical relativism is the opposite, supporting the view that the truth of moral principles is relative not to the individual, but to cultures. In other words, society is the highest authority regarding what is right and what is wrong for each and every individual within that society.
Relativism does not allow for the existence of an absolute set of ethics, as both subjective and conventional views deny that there are any absolute or objective ethical …show more content…

We may recognize their cultural differences yet still maintain that some of these practices and beliefs are morally wrong. In South Africa apartheid was accepted, in the US slavery was the norm, yet we perceive these as wrong, despite the beliefs of those societies.
Part 2: Utilitarianism and Deontological theories of ethics
a) Explain the basic principles of the ethical theories of Utilitarianism and Deontological Ethics.
The utilitarian ethical theory is that of consequencialism, or the ability to predict the consequences of an action. From a utilitarian standpoint, the choice that yields the greatest benefit to the most people is the choice that is ethically correct. Similar solutions can be compared and rated using a points system to determine which is the more benificial choice for the most people. This points system can be used on a case-by-case basis as it provides a reasoned and comprehensable argument. (1,2).
Utilitarianism can be seperated into two types, act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism.
Act utilitarianism is exactly as stated above, acts are performed to benefit the most people, regardless of ones own personal

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