MODULE 5

CULTURAL
RELATIVISM
CULTURAL RELATIVISM MEANS THAT WE DO NOT JUDGE A
SOCIETY BY OUR OWN CRITERIA OF WHAT IS RIGHT OR
WRONG, ODD OR NATURAL. RATHER, WE WILL MAKE AN
EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND THE CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF
OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THEIR OWN CULTURAL CONTEXT.

THE CONCEPT OF CULTURAL RELATIVISM ALSO MEANS THAT

ANY OPINION ON ETHICS IS SUBJECT TO THE PERSPECTIVE OF
EACH PERSON WITHIN THEIR PARTICULAR CULTURE. IN A
HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE TERM CULTURAL
RELATIVISM, IT TRIES TO PROMOTE THE UNDERSTANDING OF
CULTURAL PRACTICES THAT ARE UNFAMILIAR TO OTHER
CULTURES SUCH AS EATING INSECTS, GENOCIDES OR GENITAL
CUTTING.
DEFINITIONS
CULTURAL RELATIVISM
 DEFINITIONS
1. In cultural relativism, no one can judge a society by
their standards in the principle of right or wrong,
eccentric or natural.

2. People must understand other societies’ cultures.

3. In cultural relativism, the aim is to strengthen our knowledge

and interpretation of the practices and cultural traditions that
are not part of our culture and that not uncommon to other
cultures.

4. Cultural relativism is a moral theory that claims the idea of no

objective universal moral rules that would apply to every culture and it
varies depending on the culture of the society.
 PROS
ADVANTAGES
CULTURAL
RELATIVISM
 #1

L E A RN IN G
RE AT ES
IT C TH A T
TU NI TIE S
OPP OR Y
H U M A N IT
M A K E
COULD R .
STR O N G E

#2

A T E S T H E
IT EL IM IN
CE PT O F
CON
A T E , BU T
S EP A R
EQ U A L .

#3

EA TE S A
IT CR
O F N IC HE
SYS T EM
T IS E .
EXPER

#4

OU RA G ES
IT EN C
EC T.
RESP

THE CONS
DISADVANTAGES
 THERE WILL BE ACTIONS
TAKEN THAT WOULD BE
DEFINED BY SOME AS
“VIOLENT,” “UNSAFE,” OR
“WRONG.”

IT IS BASED ON A
CONCEPT THAT
PEOPLE ARE
PERFECT.

 IT CREATES A
PERSONAL BIAS.
 IT ELIMINATES THE IDEA
THAT REFORM OR CHANGE
CAN BE A GOOD THING.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE