Reflection Paper: The Challenges of Pluralism and Fundamentalism

A value is a universal value if it has the same value or worth for all, or almost all, people. Circles of
human values envelop ethical quality, tasteful inclination, human traits, human undertaking, and social
request. Whether universal values exist is a doubtful guess of moral reasoning and social human
sciences, though it is evident that specific qualities are found over a great diversity of human societies,
for example, essential attributes of physical allure (for example energy, symmetry) whereas different
traits (for example thinness) are subject to stylish relativism as administered by social norms. This
complaint isn't restricted to feel. Relativism concerning ethics is known as good relativism, a
philosophical position contradicted to the presence of universal virtues. According to Berlin, Universal
values are values that a considerable number of individuals in most by far of spots and circumstances, at
practically all occasions, do in certainty hold in like manner, regardless of whether intentionally and
unequivocally or as communicated in their conduct.

Universal values as behaviors are: Do not harm others, Do not cheat others, Do not lie to others, and Do
not enslave others. There are two ways to understand the universal values, 1. It could be something that
has a universal value when everybody finds it valuable. 2. Something could have universal value when all
people have a reason to believe it has a value. The values of peace, democracy, equality, tolerance,
freedom, solidarity, contentment, human dignity, love, truth, and justice. Peace is when people can
resolve their conflicts without violence. Democracy ruled by the people. Equality is a state of being equal
in rights and opportunities. Tolerance behavior that one dislikes or disagrees with. Freedom, the ability
to act or change without constraint. Solidarity agreement of feelings and action. Contentment state of
happiness and satisfaction. Human dignity is the right of a person to be valued and respect. Love is a
deep care and concern for others. Truth a state of being true. And justice equality of being moral
rightness.

Globalization is a general term used to describe the process of increasing connectedness and
interdependence of relationships across the world, in which cultural, moral, political, and economic
activities in one part of the world have significant effects in other parts of the world. These effects may
be causal, like economic or environmental impacts, or psychological, in terms of a greater sense of
global connectedness.  Pluralism is the idea that there are many theories about what is “right” and
“wrong” (moral norms) which may be incompatible and/or incommensurable with your own personal
moral norms.  Pluralism is a concept used in many diverse ways but in general terms, it is the
philosophical theory that there is more than one basic substance or principle whether it can be the
constitution of the universe, of the mind and body, the source of truth or the basic of morality. Moral
measures are positively important; however, they are in no way, shape, or form adequate in themselves
to cultivate either decency or resilience; nor are they adequate to propel and support great practices
and sound guidelines. The moral challenge of globalization demands a fundamental change in values,
focusing on human security, democracy, and economic justice. By thinking globally and acting
collectively, each of us must contribute to building a more compassionate, humane, and peaceful world.

According to Gonzales (2019), there is a connection between globalization and moral pluralism which
can go up against numerous moral difficulties both practically speaking and hypothesis. One difficulty
that may emerge from the improvement of globalization is social assorted variety. To the extent that the
social decent variety is commonly observed as constructive truth, this worldwide pattern seems to
repudiate our endeavors to maintain moral pluralism inside society, both individual and social
Globalization can attain success through homogeneity which states that the quality or state of being of a
similar kind or of having a uniform structure or composition (Merriam Webster). There are two ideas
that contradicted the idea of pluralism in globalization, 1. given its focus on peace and justice, does not
take serious account of pluralism in contemporary society. 2. not appropriate for countering the
homogenizing phenomenon of globalization.

Filinnials is a term used to denote the Filipino Millennials. Millennials upbringing is said to marked by an
increased in a liberal approach to polictics, economics and morality although this claim is disputed.
Millennials are characterized as young people who are educated, tech-savvy, well travelled, and
cosmopolitan with their choices in life

Many people today particularly among intellectuals, the young, and those from cultures that retain a
sense of collective purpose still hold to altruistic and spiritual values, and despair at the destructive
forces swirling around them. But the faltering or failure of many of the more liberal movements of the
left shows that an intellectual attachment to human rights, solidarity, concern for the excluded and
marginalized, and redistribution of wealth is not sufficient. Movements of the left are just as riven by
ego, ambition and the struggle for power as those on the right. What is missing is the level of spiritual
education and transformation in each individual. Human potential comes to fruition when cultivated in a
spirit of selfless service, without pride, with no desire to be seen as superior to anyone else, ready to
accompany others in their own acts of service and thus to become part of an organically-evolving
learning community. It is this dimension of education that is largely absent today in societies around the
world. This sort of spiritual education empowers every individual to refine their character and to
contribute to an ever-advancing civilization. At this level, effective personal responsibility and
accountability can be built into the institutions of society.

Religious pluralism is the state of being where every individual in a religiously diverse society has the
rights, freedoms, and safety to worship, or not, according to their conscience. Religious pluralism,
broadly construed, is a response to the diversity of religious beliefs, practices, and traditions that exist
both in the contemporary world and throughout history. The terms “pluralism” and “pluralist” can,
depending on context or intended use, signify anything from the mere fact of religious diversity to a
particular kind of philosophical or theological approach to such diversity, one usually characterized by
humility regarding the level of truth and effectiveness of one’s own religion, as well as the goals of
respectful dialogue and mutual understanding with other traditions. The term “diversity” refers here to
the phenomenal fact of the variety of religious beliefs, practices, and traditions. The terms “pluralism”
and “pluralist” refer to one form of response to such diversity. Religious fundamentalism is here taken
to be a collection of infallible beliefs or principles that provide guidance regarding how to obtain
salvation. Religious fundamentalists believe in the superiority of their religious teachings, and in a strict
division between righteous people and evildoers (Altemeyer and Hunsberger, 1992, 2004). This belief
system regulates religious thoughts, but also all conceptions regarding the self, others, and the world. It
is a “meta-belief” – a worldview that provides an absolute foundation for determining what to do in
various particular situations and for how to live in general (Altemeyer and Hunsberger, 1992; Koltko-
Rivera, 2006). Therefore, it helps provide a sense of coherence and control, and it helps to reduce
ambiguity about the world (Altemeyer and Hunsberger, 1992; Pargament, 2002; Hood et al.,
2005; Brandt and Reyna, 2010; Williamson and Hood, 2014; Phillips and Ano, 2015; Kossowska et al.,
2016).

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