Wk 1 Ethical Relativism

.docx

School

American Public University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

200

Subject

Philosophy

Date

Jan 9, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by dmichelie

Initially, I was going to address topic A, equality in the American workforce because I have always felt as everyone is an individual, we all do not share the same skill sets whether that is physically, mentally, or emotionally. After completing this week’s reading and returning to the thread to review the choice of topics, I felt a stronger pull towards topic B and ethical relativism. Ethical relativism is the concept that ethics holds no absolute truths, leaving what is decidedly wrong and right to be established by each community and further by each individual (Rachels, 1998). Allowing for ethical relativism to be the prevailing theory creates a strong base for each culture to establish practices, beliefs, and cements their unity as a civilization. While many civilizations vary in what they believe is correct, they all have a common goal of preserving themselves and their history, arguably making no society better than another because the focus is preservation so they’re doing what is correct for them. While this is the most compelling argument for ethical relativism, it is wrought with the negative implications that it could give justification for practices that do not prioritize human life; an example from the reading this week being suttee (Cressman, Brown & Rezkalla, 2019). This is a Hindu custom where a widow would commit suicide after her husband’s death, commonly by joining her husband on the burning pyre, to guarantee that her inheritance would be passed to her family members. This practice occurred more frequently in previous centuries, when it was more an expectation to benefit family members than an act of a grieving wife (Doniger, 1998). One could argue that although suttee was accepted by that region’s culture, it perpetuated the thought that wives were unable to act as their family head because they were female. Suttee is an example of how adherence to ethical relativism falls short in keeping people safe because it does not outline what is wrong and right, allowing a blind eye to be turned to harmful practices. Alternatively, while ethical relativism allows for morality to be decided by that society’s inhabitants, cognitive relativism focuses on facts, almost disregarding morality entirely since the focus is on empirical evidence and the truth. The basis of factual relativism is equally, if not more, harmful than ethical relativism as

truth can be relative and vary based on person and situation. I do not believe ethical relativism would be pertinent to use in today’s society because it does not condemn actions that could be harmful to a person or people if the needs or wants of the many outweigh those of the few. References: Cressman, C., Brown, A., & Rezkalla, P. (2019, December 9). Aren’t right and wrong just matters of opinion? on moral relativism and subjectivism . Introduction to Philosophy Ethics. https://press.rebus.community/intro-to-phil-ethics/chapter/arent-right-and- wrong-just-matters-of-opinion-on-moral-relativism-and-subjectivism/ Doniger, W. (1998, July 20). Suttee . Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/suttee Rachels, J. (1998, July 20). Ethical relativism . Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/ethical-relativism

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help