Is Morality Relative or are There
Universal Standards?
Two Possible Answers
• Absolutism
• Ethical Relativism
Absolutism
• The notion that there is only one correct
answer to every moral problem.
• A completely absolutist ethical theory
consists of absolute principles that provide
an answer for every possible situation in
life, regardless of culture.
• Absolutism is opposed to Ethical
Relativism.
Ethical Relativism
• Ethical Relativism holds that there
are no universally valid moral
principles, but rather all moral
principles are valid relative to culture
or individual choice.
• So it holds that there are moral
principles, but that these standards
are relative to the culture or
individual
Ethical Relativism is Opposed to
Absolutism.
There are Two Types of Relativism
• Cultural Relativism
– Conventionalism
• Subjectivism (Individual Relativism)
Cultural Relativism
• Individual acts are right or wrong
depending on the nature of the society in
which the occur.
• Morality does not exist in a vacuum.
• Morality must be seen in the context that
depends on the wants, goals, beliefs,
history, and environment of the society.
One Type of Cultural Relativism is
Conventionalism
• This view states that there are no objective
moral principles, but that all valid moral
principles are justified by virtue of their
cultural acceptance.
• This view recognizes the social nature of
morality
• In this view, what is right or wrong in a
society can change
Subjectivism
• Also known as Subjective Ethical
Relativism
• Morality depends not on society, but rather
on the individual.
• Morality is like taste or aesthetic judgment.
• Morality is in the eye of the beholder.
So is it all relative?
Critique of Absolutism
• People think the moral perspective
of their culture is correct
• The “abnormals” of one society are
the norms of another society.
• Cultural attitudes towards trances,
polygamy, and homosexuality
• Cultural diversity forces us to accept
moral relativism
• Isn’t morality simply a term used to
denote socially approved habits
within a culture?
Critique of Relativism/Subjectivism
• Subjectivism leads to absurdities
• Aren’t we confusing tolerance with
what is morally good?
• Cultural relativism has disturbing
consequences
For Example, how does Uganda
treat women and children?
• An unjust social system:
–Unequal division of labor
–Lack of access to education
–AIDS
–Polygamy
We do, in fact, believe in absolute
moral standards/values
The Deep Beauty of the
Golden Rule
• The Golden Rule is a universal
procedural rule of ethics.
• We can test our values with the
Golden Rule.
• The Golden Rule, if followed, would
produce social harmony.
I Have a Dream, Martin
Luther King
• There are many universal moral
principles appealed to in this famous
speech.
• King appeals to the rights of life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,
as well as justice.
The Universal Declaration
of Human Rights
www.un.org/Overview/rights.html