Cameron De León
Questions for Mackinnon Relativism
1. What is the first definition of ethical relativism?
a. The first definition of ethical relativism is a theory that holds that there are no
universally accepted ethical standards.
2. What is the second definition?
a. The second definition of ethical relativism is there is no objective right and wrong,
even in principle.
3. What is objectivism or non-relativism?
a. Objectivism or non-relativism is defined as being an objective right and wrong.
4. What is personal or individual ethical relativism?
a. Personal or individual ethical relativism is ethical judgment beliefs that express
individuals' moral outlooks and attitudes.
5. What is a problem with personal ethical relativism?
a. A problem with personal ethical relativism is that there is no way to say one thing
is wrong and the other is correct because to do this would mean that there is
some objective standard of right and wrong.
6. What is cultural or social ethical relativism?
a. Cultural or social ethical relativism is said to hold that ethical values vary from
society to society and that the basis for moral judgments lies in these social or
cultural views.
7. What are the three reasons supporting ethical relativism?
a. The three supporting reasons for ethical relativism are the diversity of moral
views, moral uncertainty, and situational differences.
8. Explain how the diversity of moral views supports ethical relativism?
a. The diversity of moral views supports ethical relativism because it helps identify
the difference among different people of different cultures.
9. Explain how moral uncertainty supports ethical relativism?
a. Moral uncertainty supports relativism because it further depicts the idea that we
have no idea what is most important morally or what is not.
10. Explain how situational differences support ethical relativism?
a. Situational differences support ethical relativism because it depicts no way of
knowing one thing can suit all. This means that any moral theories or even
judgments can be applied generally.
11. Is the diversity of moral views really widespread and deep?
a. The diversity of moral views is not widespread and deep, as they are moral
disagreements. Because at the core of these disagreements is factual or other
beliefs one might have.
12. Does disagreement about basic moral matters really prove anything?
a. No, it does not because just because something is does not mean it has to be
13. What is skepticism? What is subjectivism?
a. Skepticism is the view that it is difficult, if not impossible, to know something.
b. Subjectivism is the belief that we can only see things from our perspective and
thus never know things.
14. What is absolutism?
a. Absolutism is the view that moral rules or principles have no exceptions and are
context-independent.
15. Can you be objective and still oppose absolutism? How?
a. Yes, because what is great and perfect for one person may not be good for
another. Cases vary from person to person and circumstance to circumstance.
16. What are problems with cultural relativism?
a. Some problem with cultural relativism is that different groups of people belong to
have different moral views.
17. What are problems with individual relativism?
a. The main problem with individual relativism is deciding whether your view
accords with personal experience.
18. Is relativism tolerant? Why?
a. No, relativism is not tolerant because it does not accept any moral standards,
and again, what is good for one society may not be good for another.
Questions for Adler on Moral Relativity
1. Contrary to Philosophical Ethics, social scientists often insist that our moral judgments
simply reflect what? What do they conclude?
a. Contrary to physical ethics, social scientists often insist that our moral judgments
reflect the “mores” or customs to which we belong in society. From this, they can
conclude that there is no simple way to decide what is good and bad for all men.
2. What is an even more radical moral relativism?
a. A more radical moral relativism is adopted or a belief of people who think of all
moral judgments as nothing more than expressing one's preference or taste of
something.
3. How can we tell whether a person’s opinions about moral matters are sound? What
distinction do we need to make in order to understand this point?
a. We can tell if a person's opinions on moral matters are sound by seeing if he or
she agrees with good things or inherently right actions. To understand this point,
we must distinguish between what is “truly” sound and what “seems” to be.
4. Explain the extreme example of the miser.
a. The extreme example of the miser describes someone whose only desire is to
have money. So to keep the money rather than spending it, he starves himself,
walks around in rags, suffers from ill health, and cuts himself off from human
contact, learning, and culture. This man is living like he wants to; however, is he
living in good conditions?
5. What are the things that satisfy natural needs?
a. The things that satisfy our natural needs as humans are knowledge, friendship,
food, clothing, and shelter.
6. Where is the sound factual basis of moral philosophy to be found?
a. The sound factual basis of moral philosophy is found only in the details of human
nature and nowhere else.
7. It is our human nature that determines what is good for us. Things may “appear” good to
us because we happen to desire them, rightly or wrongly. But what is “really” good for us
is that which, to fulfill our nature, we should desire, whether we do or not. Social customs
or private preferences cannot change that.