Chapter Three

Ethical Relativism
Descriptive vs. Normative Ethical
Relativism
Descriptive ethical relativism: the factual or
descriptive claim that there are different
ideas about values
Metaethical (normative) relativism: values
are simply the beliefs, opinions, practices, or
feelings of individuals and cultures
Conclusion of ethical relativism: morality
is simply a function of the moral beliefs that
people have.
Individual vs. Cultural Relativism
Individual relativism: ethical judgments
and beliefs are the expressions of the
moral outlook and attitudes of individual
persons.
Cultural relativism: the basis for moral
judgments lies in social or cultural views.
Reasons Supporting Ethical
Relativism
 The Diversity of Moral Views: no agreement
about ethics has been reached.
 The desire to remain tolerant and open-
minded
 Moral uncertainty: we mistrust our own
judgments.
 Situational differences: The same things
cannot be consistently right or wrong under
different circumstances and for different
individuals.
Are These Reasons Convincing?
 The diversity of moral views: people can disagree about
what constitutes the right thing to do and yet believe that
there is a right thing to do.
 Tolerance and open-mindedness: it is possible to tolerate
other cultures while ignoring and not valuing them.
 Moral uncertainty: the fact that we are uncertain about
the answer to some question does not prove that it lacks
an answer.
 Situational differences: according to absolutism, some
moral principles are context-free.
Moral Realism and Pluralism
Moral Realism: the view that there exists
a reality independent of those who know
it
◦ Moral realists would use these reality-based
principles to determine what is right.
Moral Pluralism: there are a variety of
equally valid moral principles or equal
moral values; these might conflict with
one another