ACTIVITY 4: CULTURAL RELATIVISM

(ONLINE DEBATE)

ONLINE DEBATE RULES:

1. There will be 2 to 3 speakers from each group for one argument question (depending on your
number). The 1st group who will say their argumentative statement will be assigned by your
debate master (your prof).
2. The debate leader either from the affirmative or negative group will be the first to speak (could be
your debate leader or someone from the group). Then his/her claim will have to be argued by the
opposition group. This taking turn, will have to cover at least two to three speakers in one
question. Then comes another question until all members have spoken.
3. Each statement or claim presented must have a research basis (facts, figures, survey and polls), or
came from what you have learned from the topic discussed.
4. The debate master will be in charge of the duration of each argument before going to another
round.
5. Other groups who are not assigned for an argument question are reminded to turn off their
microphones and not write something on the comment box. Comment box are only used for
feedbacking.

RUBRICS
Claims and opinions (40%)
Reasons and evidences (40%)
Behavior / teamwork (20%)
EXPLANATION
This defines organization and clarity
of the argument presented
This defines if the reasons and evidences
are well supported by research, facts and figures
This defines your confidence while answering,
and all the members of the group participated and
are well-engaged.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR ONLINE DEBATE:

1. Do you think abortion must be permissible in a populous country? Yes on No?

2. Would you prefer to live in a monoculture or a multi-racial society? Why? Option 1 or Option 2?
3. Is it better to marry someone of the same religious background? Yes or No?
4. Would you show cultural tolerance toward an indigenous warlike group like the Jivaro tribe? Yes
or No?
5. Do you think cross cultural comparison will help us to progress our own culture? Yes or No?
6. Do you think that cultural differences will be such a threat and will cause for a culture to regress?
Why or why not?

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7. If through culture we came to know the concept of morality, then how would you go about
cultural nihilism’s claim that there were no such existence about culture, would you be a moral
person if there’s no existence of culture? Yes or No?
8. What do you think is right: “Morality is relative to culture” or “Morality is relative to a specific
person or group of people”? Option 1 or Option 2?
9. Do you think that cultural differences will play more advantage or more of a disadvantage towards
people recognizing a standard moral rule? Advantageous or Disadvantageous?
10. Does “the abortion culture” cause infanticide? That is, does legalizing the aborting of a fetus in the
womb create a cultural, moral climate where people feel free to kill newborn babies?
11. "It is better to study major international languages like English rather than to spend time on
minority languages for the sake of regional identity." Do you agree? Yes or No?
12. "Governments should give regions in their countries more autonomy so that they can protect and
enjoy their own cultures rather than serving the centralized policies of the capital city." Do you
agree? Yes or No?
13. “People commonly believe that morality can be understood only in the context of religion”. What
does this mean? Does it mean that a non-religious person cannot have moral beliefs? Agree or
Disagree?
14. We have learned that different cultures have different moral codes, do you agree that the more
moral code one country has, the more assurance that its culture will progress? Yes or No?
15. Is there a morally relevant difference between the abortion of a female fetus and the abortion of
an individual with Down’s syndrome? Yes it has difference, or No it has no difference?