Moral Relativism Morality And War - 879 Words

Moral Relativism Debate Moral relativism is the idea that there is no absolute moral standard that is applicable to any person at any place at any given time. It suggests that there are situations in which certain behavior that would normally be considered â€Å"wrong† can actually be considered â€Å"right†. Moral relativism has played an increasingly significant role in today’s society, particularly regarding the differences between the countries of the world. This essay will summarize and explain both arguments in favor of and against moral relativism. Despite what many relativists believe, the arguments against are not only stronger, but also more accurate. Before diving into the arguments for and against moral relativism, it is important to define some key terms including morality, cultural diversity, and tolerance. David Fisher, a Teaching Fellow at King’s College, London defines morality in his book, Morality and War: Can War Be Just in the Twenty-f irst Century?. â€Å"Morality is thus neither mysterious nor irrational but furnishes the necessary guidelines for how we can promote human welfare and prevent suffering† (Fisher 134). Cultural diversity is simply the existence of various cultures in society. Tolerance is just the ability to accept something that you would not normally agree with. The two most prominent arguments for moral relativism include the argument of cultural diversity as well as the argument of tolerance. When it comes to cultural diversity, relativists argueShow MoreRelatedAn Overview Of The Ethical1407 Words   |  6 Pagesphilosophy of utilitarianism. The basic idea is that morality is determined based upon what is the greatest good for the greatest number of people. ØïÆ'Ëœ Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) argued that moral requirements are based on a standard of rationality he dubbed the â€Å"Categorical Imperative. ØïÆ'Ëœ Edward Westermarck (1862-1939) The ethical theory ethical relativism and moral beliefs are ultimately only based on emotion. Consequently, Westermarck concludes moral values cannot be objective since they originate inRead MoreCultural Universals1060 Words   |  5 Pagesa problem for moral relativism in this paper. I will begin by defining cultural universals (CU). Then, I will cite examples of such theory and continue by applying them to situations in which these similarities can be seen. Next, I will discuss how we can convince ourselves that a given standard of behavior is in fact a cultural universal. I will then define moral relativism as well as provide examples of cultural differences that are often cited in regards of moral relativism. Lastly, I willRead MoreEssay on The Ethical Dilemma of Defining Moral Absolutes1266 Words   |  6 Pagesand culturally diverse these same moral debates still linger in today’s society. Fundamentalist believe that ther e are absolute moral codes that apply to all societies. Inherently the fundamentalist view sounds like an ideal view that all cultures should respect. However, there are flaws in the fundamentalist views, who decides what is morally permissible and what is not. This is where the moral relativist view comes into play in an attempt to further define moral guidelines that are relative toRead MoreConflicting Moral Arguments : Louis Vaughn s Philosophy, Moral Relativism And Moral Objectivism872 Words   |  4 PagesConflicting Moral Arguments Louis Vaughn states that the purpose of morality is not to describe how things are, but to â€Å"prescribe how things should be† (2). In Philosophy, moral relativism and moral objectivism are two conflicting but somewhat overlapping school of thought. These beliefs govern the way an individual acts; they also decide the ethical guidelines from which the law is written. In this essay we will delineate the differences between the two sects of belief. Pojman asserts that manyRead More Louis Pojman`s Perspective of Morality 685 Words   |  3 Pagessome other things which are relatively right or wrong things. However, in our moral world, there do exist some rules that most of us would agree with and think it should be the moral thing such that everyone deserves to be respected. In this paper, I will discuss Louis Pojman`s perspective of view on the â€Å"Captive Pursuit†. In Louis Pojman`s â€Å"Who`s to Judge† article, he thinks that there do exist universally- accepted moral principles â€Å"based on a common human nature† and â€Å"a need to solve conflicts ofRead MoreChoosing Right From Wrong: An Examination of Three Points From The Good Society990 Words   |  4 Pagesof which is an example of relativism. Relativism makes reference to several opinions while moral relativism alleges morality is not built around a conclusive model. This paper will discuss three of the four points made in Lenn Goodman’s article â€Å"The Good Society†, published by Penn State University Press in regards to slavery, polygamy, and incest; genocide, famine, and germ warfare; terrorism, hostage taking, and child warriors. The article by Goodman, â€Å"Some Moral Minima†, discussed the equalityRead MoreCultural Ethical Relativism : Cultural Relativism1186 Words   |  5 Pagesbelieve that morality is dependent on the culture the individual is involved with. While physical laws are universally accepted, morals are objective depending on where someone lives or who they grew up around. Furthermore, morality is formed based on the history of political and social instances in cultural ethical relativism. This theory of cultural ethical relativism is widely accepted throughout the world. It is so popular because there is empirical evidence that shows that culture’s morals differRead MoreEthical Relativism And The Norms Of One s Culture807 Words   |  4 PagesEthical relativism is the theory that holds morality relative to the norms of one s culture. Meaning, whether an action is right or wrong will depend on the moral norms of that society in which you reside. Though some actions may be vi ewed right in one society, it does not mean it will be morally right in another. I take the view of an ethical relativist, where there is no universal moral standards. I believe this because morality is constantly changing. Society’s beliefs, values and ideas areRead MoreCultural Relativism Essay1398 Words   |  6 PagesCultural relativism, pioneered in 1906 by sociologist William Graham Sumner, introduces the idea that there is no universal code of ethics. In The Challenge of Cultural Relativism, written by James Rachels, Rachels explains and challenges the ideas presented by Sumner in cultural relativism. Rachels explains, Cultural relativism is the doctrine that all moral values derive entirely from individual cultural codes, and that there are no objective, independently correct moral values. In other wordsRead MoreCultural Relativism Essay1702 Words   |  7 Pagescultural relativism is an acceptable theory to adhere to. A society is a collective group of people who are either figuratively or literally aggregated together. There are many societies, sub-societies, and communities that are overlapping. At the same time, every living individual in the world makes up an umbrella society or community that constructs the present-day society. In â€Å"The Challenge of Cultural Relativism,† James Rachels claims that there are consequences to accepting cultural relativism, but