In Class And Readings We Covered What The Difference K

In Class And In The Readings We Covered What The Different Kinds Of R

In class and in the readings, we covered what the different kinds of relativism are and some of the various arguments for moral relativism. In this assignment, you need to choose one of the arguments for moral relativism, explain that argument, discuss at least one problem with that argument, and evaluate how serious you think that problem is and why.

Each part of your response should be approximately one paragraph long, and each is worth 5 points. The entire assignment is worth 20 points, constituting 5% of your total grade. Your paper should be 2-3 pages, formatted in Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, and submitted as a PDF, DOC, or ODT file.

Paper For Above instruction

Moral relativism posits that moral judgments are not absolute but are relative to cultural, societal, or individual standards. One of the most prominent arguments supporting moral relativism is the Cultural Differences Argument (CDA). This argument points to the observable fact that different cultures have radically different moral codes and practices, suggesting that morality is culturally dependent rather than universal. From this, proponents infer that there is no objective moral truth that overrides cultural norms; instead, what is considered morally right in one society may be morally wrong in another, and vice versa. This diversity in moral standards across cultures implies that morality is a product of cultural convention rather than an external, objective reality.

Despite its appeal, the Cultural Differences Argument faces notable criticisms, chiefly the problem of moral infallibility and disagreement. One significant issue is that the argument commits the logical fallacy of assuming that cultural disagreement equates to moral disagreement, which is not necessarily valid. Different cultures might disagree about what is morally acceptable, but that does not imply their moral standards are equally valid or correct. For example, some societies have condoned slavery or gender discrimination, practices that are widely condemned in others. The problem here is the difficulty of determining whether all cultural practices are equally valid simply because they differ, or whether some should be judged as morally superior based on certain objective criteria. This leads to the problem of moral infallibility within the relativist view, as it is challenging to criticize another culture’s moral standards without undermining one’s own relativist stance.

The seriousness of this problem depends on how one perceives the argument's core claim—that moral standards are culturally bound and not subject to external validation. If one holds that cultural diversity justifies moral relativism, then criticizing other cultures’ practices from an external moral standpoint becomes complex, as it risks relativistic inconsistency. However, if one believes that some moral practices can be evaluated critically even within a relativist framework, then this problem may be less severe. In my view, this problem is quite serious because it undermines the fundamental premise of moral relativism—the idea that no perspective is objectively better than another—by suggesting that some cultural practices should be judged as morally inferior, which conflicts with the relativist stance. Therefore, while the Cultural Differences Argument highlights important aspects of moral diversity, its inability to adequately address moral criticism and the evaluation of practices makes it a less convincing foundation for moral relativism.

References

• Benedict, R. (1934). Patterns of Culture. Houghton Mifflin.
• Relativism, Cultural. (2020). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-relativism/
• Chiu, M. M. (2019). Moral Relativism. Routledge.
• Harman, G. (1975). Moral relativism and moral objectivity. In J. Rachels (Ed.), Moral Philosophy (pp. 247-263). University of Minnesota Press.
• Brown, M. (2004). Moral Relativism: A Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
• Shweder, R. A., & Much, N. C. (1987). When cultural worlds view each other: The moral dilemmas of cultural comparison. In J. K. Fischhoff & R. E. M. (Eds.), Culture and Morality (pp. 125-142). Harvard University Press.
• Haidt, J. (2012). The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion. Pantheon Books.
• Nuccetelli, S. (2009). The contradiction in relativism. Philosophical Studies, 144(1), 19-33.
• Horton, J. (1996). Moral relativism and divine command. Journal of Moral Philosophy, 3(3), 321-341.
• Brandt, R. B. (1979). Morality, Utilitarianism, and Rights. The Monist, 62(2), 167-182.