The Challenge of

Cultural Relativism
1. What is the principle of goodness in
Cultural Relativism?

1. What is the principle of badness in

Cultural Relativism?

1. What are the criticisms and learning

in Cultural Relativism?
1.What is the principle of
goodness in Cultural
Relativism?
Cultural Relativism

RIGHT or GOOD
As what the society or culture dictates as
good, it is considered as already good

…what the people normally do, within their

cultural and personal context, is good.
Hence, Cultural Relativism emphasizes the following
points:

• Different societies have different moral codes

• No objective standard, no societal code is
better
• No moral code has a special status
• No universal truths is ethics
• The moral code of a society determines what
is right within that society
• To judge others is mere arrogance
2. What is the principle of
badness in Cultural
Relativism?
Cultural Relativism
WRONG or BAD

…If the society or culture dictates that an act or

practice is wrong, then it is indeed wrong

…judging another culture by an objective

standard is also wrong
It is then wrong or bad to commit the following:

• To apply an absolute or universal ethical

principle

• To judge one society by an objective standard

• To consider one culture as superior over others

3. What are the criticisms and
learning in Cultural
Relativism?
SAMPLE CASE:
Abdul Lateef Naushad, a 34-year old Indian was
working at a gas station in the eastern Saudi City
of Dammam.

On April 2003, he got involved in a fight with a

Saudi citizen whose eye was injured during the
scuffle. The injury proved too severe that led to
the loss of the eye.
Naushad was then arrested and eventually
sentenced by a Saudi court to have his right eye
removed in accordance with the strict
interpretation of Islamic law used in the Arabian
country.

Today, Naushad is back in his native India

bringing with him the hard and painful lesson
regarding “an eye-for-an-eye” justice.
Was the punishment given to Abdul
Lateef Naushad good or bad in
Cultural Relativism?
CRITICISMS AND LEARNINGS
Problems of Cultural Relativism:

Not all cultures and

conception of the good reflect
the good or what ought to be.

Some cultures can be

destructive to human beings.
Problems of Cultural Relativism:

Every culture evolves.

Cultures will eventually

influence one another and
practices change.
Problems of Cultural Relativism:

There is a sense of
universality among all
people.
What can we learn from Cultural
Relativism:
What can we learn from Cultural
Relativism:

1.Cultural Relativism warns us about

the dangers of assuming all our
preferences are based on some
absolute rational standard…
What can we learn from Cultural
Relativism:

2. Cultural Relativism can help

open and broaden our minds.
It provides an antidote for
close-minded dogmatism.
What can we learn from Cultural
Relativism:

3. Learn to Respect and

appreciate the richness of a
given culture…