Ethics/Phil.201
Tuesday, January 28
Criticisms of Cultural(Ethical)Relativism

Cultural relativism is the moral theory that each culture has their own moral codes and that those codes are right for that culture. It emphasizes that the majority rules.

Criticism 1: It seems that their are immoral cultural practices. ie. Nazism, female circumcision, suttee, etc.
2: Cultural relativism can't make sense of moral progress.ie. Tribal leaders, Monarchies, different treatment due to race, culture, nationality, etc., U.S. Constitution, French Revolution, the emancipation of slaves, women's suffrage civil rights movement or civil rights act.

What would a relativist say? A relativist would say that you can't have a better culture, only a different one.
3: If you're going to say that the standard is defined by culture, what is culture? Is it based on social class, religion, ethnic or racial groups, political views, national origin, lifestyle? There is too much trouble defining culture. any way of defining it seems arbitrary.
4: Minority protest is always wrong or immoral. Dissenting is immoral. Therefore, attempting change is immoral, even if you happen to be Martin Luther King Jr..