Topic 3 - Sociological Approaches to Ethics

Cultural Relativism (CR)

An act is morally right if and only if it is permitted by the moral code of the society of the agent of the act that was in place at the time the act was performed.

Moral Code

The moral code of a society at a certain time is the set of moral rules accepted in the society at that time.

An example of an action that intuitively has some moral status and that the CR theory agrees has that status.

In 21st century, it is wrong to light someone’s house on fire, and lighting someone’s house on fire is also just wrong.

Does CR imply that everyone should be more tolerant of the practices of other cultures?

No, acts of tolerance depend on what the moral code of one’s society says. Where tolerance is frowned upon, given CR, it follows that you should not be tolerant of other cultures, vice versa.

Moral Objectivism

The view that some actions are right and wrong independent of anyone’s moral beliefs or perspectives; it is the main alternative to CR and DCT.

Is Moral Objectivism committed to the view that it is okay to be intolerant?

No, moral objectivism does not imply tolerance because it says some actions morality is independent of anyone’s moral beliefs. To advocate for tolerance is to advocate for an objective moral value.  

Different societies have different beliefs about right and wrong. Can we infer from this that CR is true?

Yes, if what is right and wrong only depends on the fact that different societies have different beliefs about right and wrong then CR is true.

State C.S. Lewis’ Argument from the Evaluation of Cultures

P1. If CR is true, then there are never any respects in which the morality of another culture.

Rationale: CR says that acts are determined to be morally right or wrong based on the moral code of the society, so there can’t be any objective standard to judge one society’s code better than another’s.

P2. But there sometimes are some such respects.

Rationale: ex. We know that Christian morality is better than Nazi morality.

C. Therefore, CR is not true.

In your own opinion is C.S. Lewis’ Argument from the Evaluation of Cultures sound?

Yes, it is valid and the premises are both true.

Describe the Gallup Poll

Demonstrates American’s views of the moral acceptability of different issues such as the death penalty and abortion.

State the Gallup Poll Argument Against CR

P1. There is at least one issue in the Gallup Poll that the majority of Americans have the wrong view on.

Rationale: For example, the majority of Americans believe that the death penalty is morally acceptable, but it is not.

P2. If there is at least one issue in the Gallup Poll that the majority of Americans have the wrong view on, then CR is false.

Rationale: CR states that an act is morally right or wrong depending on the moral code of a society, so if there is at least one disagreement with the Gallup Poll then CR can’t be true.

C. Therefore, CR is false.