LECTPEREZ
Austin Tichy
ETHC 101-B12
Discussion Board 1
Ethical Relativism
Ethical relativism can be described as the theory that an individual’s morality differs
based on different factors such as: cultural beliefs, historical background, social class, personal
circumstances and many more. Ethical relativism is commonly broken down into moral
subjectivism and cultural relativism. Moral subjectivism is more of the belief that a difference in
morality comes from personal preference. While cultural relativism is that one’s stance on what
is right or wrong is influenced by their culture, whether it is where they live or where they grew
up. Ethical relativism is true, it happens everywhere, it is seen everyday in the local or world
news. Whether you argue for or against ethical relativism it is important to keep a broad scope
on events unfolding all over the world, both in continents and communities. Personally, it is very
clear that not everyone is going to have the same response when put in the same dilemma.
Maybe in the situation where you are faced with a giant hungry black bear you would think
everyone would run for their lives. Although, coming from a New Englander, some would not
run, they would clap or yell or bang rocks on the ground, these people have the background and
know that bears are afraid of loud noises. Another argument that people pose against ethical
relativism is that moral changes or moral progress is not actually progress as it is pushing
towards something that was once thought of as immoral. In my thought process I only see this as
an argument for relativism. Look back to slavery in the United States for a moment, in theory
before the Civil War it was morally right to have slaves and treat them as brutally as they were.
Obviously, times have changed and for the better, at least in my eyes in today’s society, this
change came because of cultural relativism because the citizens in the northern states shared a
different belief because of their situation and their needs. The South was bonded in their need for
slaves to tend to their massive cotton fields, while the North did not have a need and saw the
treatment as cruel. Their situations created moral conflict, so much so that it causes the bloodiest
American war. The argument against relativism here seems to be a moral dilemma of its own. If
these different individuals or different cultures believe something else is right, then how can we
say it’s wrong? In some situations, this may be true as in certain cases such as the bear example
from before, both options to run or make noise were the right decision and would hopefully yield
the same results of getting away. The moral issue comes when this is stretched and taken
advantage of. I am not going to lie I may tend to speed on my way to work here and there and
most people do. However, if I was to get pulled over why should I get a ticket if I was doing
what I felt was right? This argument can be stretched to numerous examples helping either
cause. The other arguments only support ethical relativism as true.
(524)
This study source was downloaded by 100000843746907 from CourseHero.com on 04-04-2022 16:46:25 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/38327752/ETHC-101-DB1docx/
Austin Tichy
ETHC 101-B12
Discussion Board 1
Ethical Relativism
Ethical relativism can be described as the theory that an individual’s morality differs
based on different factors such as: cultural beliefs, historical background, social class, personal
circumstances and many more. Ethical relativism is commonly broken down into moral
subjectivism and cultural relativism. Moral subjectivism is more of the belief that a difference in
morality comes from personal preference. While cultural relativism is that one’s stance on what
is right or wrong is influenced by their culture, whether it is where they live or where they grew
up. Ethical relativism is true, it happens everywhere, it is seen everyday in the local or world
news. Whether you argue for or against ethical relativism it is important to keep a broad scope
on events unfolding all over the world, both in continents and communities. Personally, it is very
clear that not everyone is going to have the same response when put in the same dilemma.
Maybe in the situation where you are faced with a giant hungry black bear you would think
everyone would run for their lives. Although, coming from a New Englander, some would not
run, they would clap or yell or bang rocks on the ground, these people have the background and
know that bears are afraid of loud noises. Another argument that people pose against ethical
relativism is that moral changes or moral progress is not actually progress as it is pushing
towards something that was once thought of as immoral. In my thought process I only see this as
an argument for relativism. Look back to slavery in the United States for a moment, in theory
before the Civil War it was morally right to have slaves and treat them as brutally as they were.
Obviously, times have changed and for the better, at least in my eyes in today’s society, this
change came because of cultural relativism because the citizens in the northern states shared a
different belief because of their situation and their needs. The South was bonded in their need for
slaves to tend to their massive cotton fields, while the North did not have a need and saw the
treatment as cruel. Their situations created moral conflict, so much so that it causes the bloodiest
American war. The argument against relativism here seems to be a moral dilemma of its own. If
these different individuals or different cultures believe something else is right, then how can we
say it’s wrong? In some situations, this may be true as in certain cases such as the bear example
from before, both options to run or make noise were the right decision and would hopefully yield
the same results of getting away. The moral issue comes when this is stretched and taken
advantage of. I am not going to lie I may tend to speed on my way to work here and there and
most people do. However, if I was to get pulled over why should I get a ticket if I was doing
what I felt was right? This argument can be stretched to numerous examples helping either
cause. The other arguments only support ethical relativism as true.
(524)
This study source was downloaded by 100000843746907 from CourseHero.com on 04-04-2022 16:46:25 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/38327752/ETHC-101-DB1docx/
