conventionalism
“cultural relativism”
Cultural relativism, long a key concept in
anthropology, asserts that… each culture has its
own values and practices.
-Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban,
Chronicle of Higher Education
We have to study each ethnological specimen
individually in its history and in its medium... By
regarding a single implement outside of its
surroundings, outside of other inventions of the
people to whom it belongs, and outside of other
phenomena affecting that people and its
productions, we cannot understand its meanings...
-Franz Boas
The Principles of Ethnological Classification
We recognize that morality differs in every society,
and is a convenient term for socially approved
habits.
–Ruth Benedict
Patterns of Culture
Moral Conventionalism: There are no objective
moral facts. Statements of the form “x is
right/good/moral” mean “My society approves of
x” and statements of the form “x is
wrong/bad/immoral” mean “My society
disapproves of x”.
Moral Subjectivism: There are no objective
moral facts. Statements of the form “x is
right/good/moral” mean “I approve of x” and
statements of the form “x is
wrong/bad/immoral” mean “I disapprove of x”.
The Problem of Moral Disagreement
1) When one person says “X is morally
acceptable” and someone else says “X is
morally unacceptable”, they have a
disagreement.
2) If Subjectivism were true, there would be no be
disagreement.
3) Subjectivism is false.
The Problem of Moral Fallibility
1) If Subjectivism were true, then each us would
be infallible when it comes to our moral
judgments.
2) None of us is infallible when it comes to our
moral judgments.
3) Subjectivism is false.
We recognize that morality differs in every society,
and is a convenient term for socially approved
habits.
–Ruth Benedict
Patterns of Culture
The Cultural Differences Argument
1) Moral beliefs differ from society to society.
2) If (1), then (3).
3) Conventionalism is true.