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Morality versus ethics essay
The influence of Greek society on western culture
Morality versus ethics essay
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A person, no matter where they live or what kind of history they have, always has and always will come across someone who does not believe the same way that they do. This is plainly seen in Phil Washburn’s Philosophical Dilemmas and as a result the main source of information will stem from this text concerning morals. Philosophers are most known for their work of arguing about morals and what is wrong or right however, what laymen do not understand is that they do not focus on the question of moral but rather whether or not the judgment of the morals of others is right or wrong. It is here that the idea of relativists and absolutists is born and men are challenged to take a side. According to the essays in Washburn’s text, a relativist is …show more content…
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the absolutist who believes that regardless of the culture, there are some morals—not a “set of rules” but the difference between right and wrong— that apply to all people. Relativists and absolutists prove to be polar opposites when it comes to their stance on morality and after analyzing both the idea of an absolutist is the most plausible. Relativists can be described as the type of people who would say that whatever is right for one person is not necessarily right for another, and whatever is wrong for the other is not necessarily wrong for the first. Though this is a basic example, this is not what moral relativists believe as a whole. Moral relativism starts with the Greeks and what they learned in their travels around the world. According to the text, there was a group of men that were known to be teachers in early Greek culture who would teach men leadership and how to speak persuasively. These teachers, known as Sophists, were often hired in political cases and did not hesitate to switch sides if they were being offered more …show more content…
The moral relativist believes that everything depends on the culture of the person and the social norms according to that society, whereas the absolutist believes that moral relativism is not a plausible definition for morality. Instead the absolutist believes that there is only one set of right and wrong and that this right and wrong spans across the nations. The relativist view is full of grey areas that could mean life or death for anyone but do not ultimately solve the question of morality, instead all it does is muddle what knowledge it actually does explain and push it and it’s adverse around with a stick in a never-ending circle. If a poor man steals the food from another man’s cupboard it is wrong in the eyes of the man with the food, but right in the eyes of the poor man who stole the food. The absolutists, on the other hand, understand that just because there is something that is widely accepted as ‘right’ does not make the action right as in the slavery example. This type of thing only justifies the judgment of the people as wrong, however most if not all people become offended if they are told that they are wrong. However, the relativist view had a point in saying that it is not possible to objectively judge the morals of any society. To a certain degree, this is true. It is impossible to objectively judge the morals of any
Finally, in Beckwith’s fourth point, he evaluates the absurd consequences that follow moral relativist’s arguments. In his final critique, Beckwith uses typical philosophical examples that Mother Teresa was morally better than Adolf Hitler, rape is always wrong, and it is wrong to torture babies. Beckwith argues that for anyone to deny these universal claims is seen as absurd, yet it concludes with moral objectivism that there are in fact universally valid moral positions no matter the culture from which those individuals
In its entirety, moral relativism is comprised of the belief that, as members of various and countless cultures, we cannot judge each other’s morality. If this theory stands true, then “we have no basis for judging other cultures or values,” according to Professor McCombs’ Ethics 2. Our moral theories cannot extend throughout cultures, as we do not all share similar values. For instance, the Catholic tradition believes in the sacrament of Reconciliation. This sacrament holds that confessing one’s sins to a priest and
According to Tännsjö (2007), we all have our own moral universes that consists of moral codes that are relevant only to our universe. In Wong’s account of Velleman, (2016), he states that in a relativist world we are each on our own moral islands, independent of everyone else’s rules and judgments. Moral relativism also includes the acceptance of both contradicting moralities possibly being correct (Tännsjö, 2007. Hugly & Sayward, 1985). For example, if one person from one moral universe believes that something is right, but another one believes that this same thing is wrong, moral relativism states that within their own contexts and beliefs this action could be justified as both wrong and right (Tännsjö, 2007). Moral relativism essentially argues that morality is formed through every individual’s own perception and shares very little between moral universes or moral
Moral relativism maintains that objective moral truth does not exist, and there need not be any contradiction in saying a single action is both moral and immoral depending on the relative vantage point of the judge. Moral relativism, by denying the existence of any absolute moral truths, both allows for differing moral opinions to exist and withholds assent to any moral position even if universally or nearly universally shared. Strictly speaking, moral relativism and only evaluates an action’s moral worth in the context of a particular group or perspective. The basic logical formulation for the moral relativist position states that different societies have empirically different moral codes that govern each respective society, and because there does not exist an objective moral standard of judgment, no society’s moral code possesses any special status or maintains any moral superiority over any other society’s moral code. The moral relativist concludes that cultures cannot evaluate or criticize other cultural perspectives in the absence of any objective standard of morality, essentially leveling all moral systems and limiting their scope to within a given society.
Relativism is the belief that there is no absolute truth, that the only truth is what an individual or culture happen to believe. People who believe in relativism often think different people can have different views about what's moral and immoral. Cultural relativism, like moral relativism, filter through today's society. People often believe that as long no one gets hurt, everything will be okay. Realistically, the truth about relativism has been discarded along with God.
Moral relativism is the concept that people’s moral judgement can only goes as far a one person’s standpoint in a matter. Also, one person’s view on a particular subject carries no extra weight than another person. What I hope to prove in my thesis statement are inner judgements, moral disagreements, and science are what defend and define moral relativism.
However, cultural relativism is not the most satisfactory moral theory. ‘“Cultural relativism implies that another common place of moral life illusion moral disagreement, and such inconsistencies hint that there may be something amiss with relativism. It seems it conflicts violently with common sense realities of the moral life. The doctrine implies that each person is morally infallible”’ (Vaughn 14).
Chao, R. K. (1994). Beyond parental control and authoritarian parenting style: Understanding chinese parenting through the cultural notion of training. Society for Research in Child Development, 65(4), 1111-1119.
Moral relativists believe that no one has the right to judge another individuals choice, decisions, or lifestyle because however they choose to live is right for them. In addition everyone has the right to their own moral beliefs and to impose those beliefs on another individual is wrong. At first glance moral relativism may appear ideal in allowing for individual freedom. After all why shouldn’t each individual be entitled to their own idea of moral values and why should others force their beliefs on anyone else. “American philosopher and essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), tells us, what is right is only what the individual thinks is right. There is no higher court of appeals, no higher, universal, or absolute moral standard.” (pg 121) Moral relativism means if does not feel wrong than it must be right.
Moral relativism, as Harman describes, denies “that there are universal basic moral demands, and says different people are subject to different basic moral demands depending on the social customs, practices, conventions, and principles that they accept” (Harman, p. 85). Many suppose that moral feelings derive from sympathy and concern for others, but Harman rather believes that morality derives from agreement among people of varying powers and resources provides a more plausible explanation (Harman, p. 12).The survival of these values and morals is based on Darwin’s natural selection survival of the fittest theory. Many philosophers have argued for and against what moral relativism would do for the world. In this essay, we will discuss exactly what moral relativism entails, the consequences of taking it seriously, and finally the benefits if the theory were implemented.
In explaining Cultural Relativism, it is useful to compare and contrast it with Ethical Relativism. Cultural Relativism is a theory about morality focused on the concept that matters of custom and ethics are not universal in nature but rather are culture specific. Each culture evolves its own unique moral code, separate and apart from any other. Ethical Relativism is also a theory of morality with a view of ethics similarly engaged in understanding how morality comes to be culturally defined. However, the formulation is quite different in that from a wide range of human habits, individual opinions drive the culture toward distinguishing normal “good” habits from abnormal “bad” habits. The takeaway is that both theories share the guiding principle that morality is bounded by culture or society.
15. According to the author (Fieser), does cultural relativism rule out universal moral judgments? Why or why
Silvio Altomare Carol Bigwood PHIL 2075 20 July 2017 Reflection Paper #2 In David Wong’s article, he seeks to explain how relativism in its various forms can help come to conclusions about the skewed ethical conflicts that individuals face, and looks at the application and reasoning behind each of the major types. Firstly, he explains the type of relativism in which ethical decisions are based on the universal soundness of certain moral codes. This he explains is “meta-ethical relativism, because it is about the relativity of moral truth and justifiability” (Wong 442).
There are different countries and cultures in the world, and as being claimed by cultural relativists, there is no such thing as “objective truth in morality” (Rachels, 2012). Cultural relativists are the people who believe in the Cultural Ethical Relativism, which declares that different cultures value different thing so common ethical truth does not exist. However, philosopher James Rachels argues against this theory due to its lack of invalidity and soundness. He introduced his Geographical Differences Argument to point out several mistakes in the CER theory. Cultural Ethical Relativism is not totally wrong because it guarantees people not to judge others’ cultures; but, Rachels’ viewpoints make a stronger argument that this theory should not be taken so far even though he does not reject it eventually.
In a world that gradually wants impartial evidence for all statements that are made, be they methodical or spiritual, it would appear that as civilization advances, we are not really in hunting for absolute certainty. We are eager to give and take, oversee and in some cases disregard the obvious fact. In a multicultural society, it is essential to debate absolutism and relativism, irrespective of the effects of spiritual arguments have supported with them to the present day. Absolutism and relativism can eventually be the directing factor as to how individuals, groups and countries act and reply to incentives. It is the variance in the midst of achievement and expiration. The Christian views will certainly strength some to be opposed ethical totalitarianism, but the fact residues that only one single fact can be true. The philosophy of non-contradiction cannot agree for several facts or truths, so only one can rule as undeniably true.