Ethical Relativism Lecture Review

Flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to ethical relativism, its different forms, arguments for and against it, and related metaethical concepts from the lecture.

Ethical Relativism

The discussion about whether there are objective standards for right and wrong, especially across different people, opinions, or societies.

Descriptive Relativism

The factual claim that there are different sets of values across various cultures, describing how the world is without making judgments.

Normative Relativism (Metaethical Relativism)

The ethical claim that what is right or wrong is only relative to one's society or culture, asserting there are no objective moral truths.

Descriptive Claim

A statement that merely describes how the world is, without implying how it ought to be.

Normative Claim

A statement that expresses a judgment about how the world ought to be.

Individual Relativism (Subjectivism)

The idea that moral truths are relative only to an individual's own beliefs and values, with no objective moral standards.

Cultural Relativism (Conventionalism)

The belief that moral principles derive their validity solely from the acceptance within a particular culture or society.

Weak Relativism

A version of relativism suggesting that while some objective truths or shared values may exist, their specific expression varies and is relative to a society.

Absolutism

A metaethical theory that maintains there are objective moral truths, and these are absolute, meaning they apply without exception.

Objectivism

A metaethical theory asserting that there are some objective moral truths that apply to everyone, regardless of cultural beliefs.

Ethnocentrism

The uncritical belief in the inherent superiority of one's own culture, leading to judging other cultures based on one's own values.

Naturalistic Fallacy

The logical error of inferring what ought to be from what is.

Diversity Thesis

The first premise of ethical relativism, observing and acknowledging the factual differences in moral values across cultures.

Dependency Thesis

The second premise of ethical relativism, stating that all moral principles derive their validity from cultural acceptance.

Problems with Cultural Relativism (Reformers)

A criticism stating that cultural relativism offers no framework for individuals within a society to challenge or reform existing societal norms, as those norms are considered the ultimate moral truth.

Problems with Cultural Relativism (Heinious Acts)

A criticism that cultural relativism prevents the condemnation of practices like genocide or slavery which are universally abhorrent, if those practices are culturally sanctioned.