ETHICS: LIFE AS IT OUGHT TO BE

42

Lesson 7 C u l t u r a l R e l a t i v i s m

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Explain cultural relativism
Cite the strengths and weaknesses of cultural relativism

INTRODUCTION
After studying the meaning of culture, how it is learned and how it
shapes moral behavior, let us focus on cultural relativism, its meaning and
its strengths and weaknesses.

ACTIVITY

1. Read this statement: "What is true for

me is true for me, and what is true
for you is true for you. Do you agree with this
statement? Those who
say NO, they don't agree, form one group. and those who say YES, they
agree form another group.

2. YES group and NO group engage in a debate.

should transfer to the Whoever is convinced
group. Example, at first
you are a YES but after
listening to the NO group, you are
convinced and so you
group. join the No

ANALYSIS
Is there any danger posed
by this thought:
for me, and what is true for you is true "What in
for you9 me is true
 Chapter :
Understanding Morality and Moral Standards
Lesson 7: Cultural Relativism

43

ABSTRACTION
What is cultural relativism? First,
relativism says "what is true for
vou is true for you, ana what is true for me is true for
me." Analogously,
eltural relativism would say, "what
you believe, value or practice
denends on your culture while what I believe, value and
on my culture. In other practice, depends
words, cultural relativism is "the idea that a ..Cultural
nerson's beliefs, values, and practices should be understood based relativism is
on that
nerson's own culture, rather than be judged against the criteria of the idea that
Stated in another way: another."
a person's
beliefs, values,
Cultural relativismn is the view that moral ethical systems,
or
and practices
which vary from culture to culture, are all should be
equalhy valid and no understood
one system is really "better"
than any other. This is based on based on
the idea that there is no ultimate standard
of good or evil, so- that person's
every judgment about right and wrong is a product of society own culture,
Therefore, any opinion on morality or ethics is subject to the rather than be
cultural perspective of each person. Ultimately, this means that
judged against
no moral or ethical system can be considered the "best," or the criteria of
"worst," and no particular moral or ethical position can actually another."
be considered "right'" or "wrong."
(https://www.allaboutphilosophy.
org/cultural-relativism.htm)
n the context of cultural relativism, the manner by which the African
Woman is treated in comparison to that of the African man should not be
Judged against other culture's standards. This should be judged in the
context of African culture, not in the context of Christian culture.

Cultural Relativism vs Cultural Perspective

However, what the cultural relativist fails to see is the difference
between cultural perspective and cultural relativism. A perspective is
a standpoint or viewpoint of something. For instance, there are as many
perspectives of a building, a house, as there are standpoints. You try
to appreciate the design of a house considering its various perspective,
but you never judge the design based on only one perspective. Trying
to understand one's culture, having a perspective of one's culture, is
needed to understand people. But it does not follow that morality must
be based only on said culture:
. t h e problem with moving from cultural perspective to cultural
relativism is the erosion of reason that it causes. Rather than simply
 ETHICS: LIFE AS IT OUGHT TO BE

44 "

other cultures, it says,

the morals of
saying, "we need to understand regardless of the
morals of other cultures,"
the
we cannot judge perspective, and it
their actions. There is no longer any culture does
reasons for
If we hold to argue that
anything a
becomes literally impossible it is not
on to strict strict cultural relativism,
hold on to
1S right or wrong. If or that respect for
we
cultural
that human sacrifice is "wrong," culture. This
relativism, it is possibleto say
of the
is "right." After all, those are products into meaningless
not possible theelderhy o v e r the cliff
and
to say that takes any talk of morality right

gibberish. (Mckinnon,
et al., 2015)
human
cultural
relativism yields
sacrifice is analysis of
Likewise, logical
.

wrong," or contradictory implications:

examined from a purely
that respect breaks down when
Relativism in general relative." If
for the elderly that "truth is.
The basic premise is truths are
is Tright. "Afer logical perspective. statement "some
statement is valid, then the
all, those are every truth are. no
absolute truths"
The statement "there
absolute" must be valid.
products of absolute truth itself
relativism but it is an
- -

to
the culture. 1s accurate, according that absolute
meaning
of relativism,
This takes any These contradict the very concept
and impossible.
talk of morality relativism is self-contradictory
right over the
clif,and into
Stated in another way
relative
meaningless
certainlya virtue... lfmorality is simply
Tolerance is
gibberish. does not have a principle of
to each culture then if the culture tolerant... from
have no obligation to be
tolerance, its members
reason to be tolerant
a relativistic point of
view, there is no more
intolerant and neither stance is objectively
morally
than to be
better than the other
Relativism, an objective or impartial
I.. valid criticism supposes
in general, criticize anyone outside their
standard, relativists cannot morally
breaks Hitler s genocidal actions, so long as they are
own culture. Adolf
down when as Mother Teresa 's
culturally accepted, are as morally legitimate
examined racism,
works of mercy. f Conventional Relativism is accepted,
from a purely
genocide of unpopular minorities, oppression of the poor, slavery
logical and even the advocacy of war jor its own sake are as equaly
perspective.
moral as their opposites. And if a subculture decided that starting
..absolute
muclear war was somehow morally acceptable, we could not
relativism is
morally cricize these people. (MacKinnon, et al., 2015)
contradictory
and

impossible.
 and Moral Standards
Chapter I: Understanding Morality
Lesson 7: Cultural Relativism

45

L APPLICATION

1. Is cultural perspective the same as cultural relativism?

2. Illustrate with an example cultural perspective and cultural

relativism.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Cultural relativism is "the idea that a person's beliefs, values and practices
rather than be
should be understood based on that person's own culture,
judged against the criteria of another." whether an action
Morality is relative to the norms of one's culture. theis,
That
is right or wrong depends on the moral norms of society in which it
is practiced. The same action may be morally right
in one society but be

morally wrong in another.

relativism itself. Whether
The danger of cultural relativism is the idea of
an action is right or wrong depends on the moral norms of the society
culture
in which it is practiced. What is good depends on what society's
what society's culture
considers as good. What is bad likewise depends on
considers as bad.
Absolute relativism is self contradictory and impossible. Absolute
is an absolute truth
relativism states "there are no absolute truths: which
so absolute relativism contradicts
itself.
itself,
.There is a difference between cultural perspective and cultural relativism.
values
To have a cultural perspective is to understand people's beliefs,
culture. Having a perspective of one's
and practices in the context of their
is needed to understand people. But it does not
follow that morality
culture,
must be based on said culture.

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING

1. Explain cultural relativism.

2. How does cultural relativism differ from cultural perspective?
3. What is a strength of cultural relativism? What is a weakness of
cultural relativism?

REFLECTION
Do you really agree with the concept of cultural relativism? Why or

why not?