(Rachels 618). This claim is known as Cultural Relativism. "Cultural Relativism‚ as it has been called‚ challenges our ordinary belief in the objectivity and universality of moral truth. There is no such thing as universal truth in ethics: there there are only the various cultural codes‚ and nothing more. Moreover‚ our own code has no special status‚ it is merely one among many" (Rachels 618). It is clear that the answer to the question of ethics is‚ Cultural Relativism. The subject of murder is probably
Premium Morality Ethics Cultural relativism
Nathan Whittingham Professor Mariana Philosophy 120 12 October 2014 The Fallacy of Cultural Relativism The diversity of beliefs and ways of life is a conspicuous phenomenon that occurs within the human race. For example‚ what Satanists find right and reasonable is damnable to Christians‚ and vice-versa. Additionally‚ the ancient Aztecs practiced human sacrifice for reasons that today‚ we find totally illogical. And just as we‚ in America‚ now look back upon our history regarding slavery with
Premium Logic Truth Relativism
Cultural Relativism This essay covers various aspects of cultural relativism and its argument to readers. Cultural relativism is a theory‚ which mainly concentrates on differences in values and moral beliefs of different people. To help explain the concept of cultural relativism I have used James Rachels argument. The main idea of cultural relativism is that "Different cultures have different moral codes" (Rachels 652). This means that there is no thing as universal truth ’‚ and what is right
Premium Morality Cultural relativism Religion
other cultures and societies should be doing things the way that we do them. But‚ what if our cultural definition of what is right or wrong isn’t the case for another culture.? This paper will define cultural relativism‚ explain why it is important when studying other cultures‚ explain the difference between it and ethical relativism and explain if there are limits to cultural relativism. Cultural relativism is the view that no society or culture is better than or superior to another culture when
Free Morality Culture Cultural relativism
Cultural Relativism: A Moral Fallacy Cultural Relativism is the theory that all belief’s are equally valid and that truth itself is relative‚ depending on the situation‚ environment and individual. Those who hold the belief of Cultural Relativist‚ hold that all beliefs are completely relative to the individual within a cultural identity. In this essay‚ I will show that cultural relativism is unreliable as an ethical theory by showing the irrationality of the arguments that support it. The
Premium Morality Cultural relativism Ethics
Understanding other cultures without making judgments about the way they do things or the way they understand and react to things is the basic concept of cultural relativity. The importance of this idea is demostrated by Richard B. Lee in his story about the Christmas feast with the !Kung. In this story Lee‚ a social anthropologist living with the tribe‚ experiences a misunderstanding that almost caused him to pack his belongings and leave the bushmen which were the subject of his study
Premium Culture Anthropology Cultural anthropology
Cultural Relativism and Ethnocentrism may attribute to the differences btw Religion & Magic. Ethnocentrism is a cultural attitude that one’s own culture is the best‚ thus we evaluate other cultures on the basis of our own cultural perspective. On the other hand‚ Cultural Relativism is opposite of ethnocentrism and is based on understanding other cultures in the context of that culture only and not from our own cultural standard. According to Durkheim religion is a system of beliefs and practices
Premium Culture Religion Anthropology
Professor Hadjicostandi Sociology 1301 16 June 2012 There are two systems used to compare cultures in sociology: ethnocentrism; the practice of judging another culture by the standards of one’s own culture (Macionis)‚ and cultural relativism; the practice of judging a culture by its own standards (Macionis). Since we are raised in our own culture‚ it is easiest to use ethnocentrism‚ because it comes natural to judge by our own standards. From studying “Body Rituals Among The Nacirema”‚ it is obvious
Premium Culture Cultural relativism Anthropology
The Flaws of Cultural Relativism Renowned philosopher Peter Singer once said: “...from a still larger point of view‚ my society is just one among other societies‚ and the interests of members of my society are no more important‚ from that larger perspective‚ than the similar interests of members of other societies… Taking the impartial element in ethical reasoning to its logical conclusion means‚ first‚ accepting that we ought to have equal concern for all human beings." What Singer is saying
Premium Morality Cultural relativism Sociology
the positives and negatives regarding the concept of cultural relativism‚ but his overall position is that cultural relativism is not a strong philosophy. On the flip side of that Immanuel Kant has a completely different ethical theory that is based around deontology. Despite its positives cultural relativism cannot be defended against Rachel’s criticism‚ but Kant’s ethical theory cannot necessarily defeat cultural relativism. Cultural Relativism is the idea that moral practices and social norms change
Premium Morality Ethics Immanuel Kant