Ethical relativism and Moral self-interest

Metaethics

deals with abstract questions about the nature of morality like i.e. purpose of morality, moral judgement, etc.

Normative ethics

deals with practical questions about how to act - whether it is right or wrong i.e. acceptable to kill an innocent person or one’s self. Attempts to identify and justify moral standards that can be used to guide moral decision making and action

Cultural Ethical Relativism

morality (right or wrong itself) is relative to culture. whether an action is morally right or wrong depends on whether it is approved of or disapproved of in the culture.

Herodotus

“custom is king” culture forms morality

Benedict

Beliefs about right or wrong depend from place to place which creates diversity in morality. Diversity of ideas show the beliefs about right or wrong itself.

Reduction argument that morality is nothing but the conventions and rules that most people in a society approve of.

Diversity Thesis

a variety of moral beliefs or values, or rules that communities have or moral practices (not a claim about the truth of those beliefs). Morality (the belief about what is right or wrong) varies between communities.

Ethical Objectivism

Morality is not relative to culture. At least some actions, whether right or wrong doesn’t depend on cultural approval or disapproval. Some actions are simply right or wrong to do.

Pojman

Objectivist

Pojman’s argument: Criticizes subjectivism - It makes morality a useless concept. whatever else the purpose of morality might be, it must include the purpose of (1) making judgements and (2) resolving interpersonal conflict.

Relativism does not support tolerance

Argument for relativists

People believe in cultural ethical relativism because they think tolerance is good and that objectivism diminishes tolerance and increases cultural arrogance.

Subjectivism

form of ethical relativism where ethics is relative not to culture but to individuals

\-each person can have their own set of values

\-morality is a metter of personal preference

Ethnocentrism

prejudice for one’s own culture

Cross - cultural judgements

moral judgements made by a person from culture A about actions that are in culture B

\-CER judgements like this have no logical basis so they are not valid. They are meaningless.

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Objectivists say cross cultural judgements are valid and rational.