Nothing Special   »   [go: up one dir, main page]
Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 102 views

    Ethics, Culture and Cultural Relativism

    Uploaded by

    Kyla Trillante
    This document discusses cultural relativism and its advantages and disadvantages. It begins by defining cultural relativism as the idea that moral norms differ across societies and cultures and are not universal. It notes that cultural relativism promotes tolerance of different cultural practices but can also be used to justify harmful acts. While cultural relativism avoids moral judgments of other cultures, it may also hinder addressing social injustices. The document examines both the benefits of cultural relativism, such as avoiding domination of one culture over others, and the problems it poses, like tolerating human rights abuses and rejecting universal moral standards.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Ethics, Culture and Cultural Relativism

    Uploaded by

    Kyla Trillante
    102 views12 pages
    This document discusses cultural relativism and its advantages and disadvantages. It begins by defining cultural relativism as the idea that moral norms differ across societies and cultures and are not universal. It notes that cultural relativism promotes tolerance of different cultural practices but can also be used to justify harmful acts. While cultural relativism avoids moral judgments of other cultures, it may also hinder addressing social injustices. The document examines both the benefits of cultural relativism, such as avoiding domination of one culture over others, and the problems it poses, like tolerating human rights abuses and rejecting universal moral standards.

    Original Description:

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    This document discusses cultural relativism and its advantages and disadvantages. It begins by defining cultural relativism as the idea that moral norms differ across societies and cultures and are not universal. It notes that cultural relativism promotes tolerance of different cultural practices but can also be used to justify harmful acts. While cultural relativism avoids moral judgments of other cultures, it may also hinder addressing social injustices. The document examines both the benefits of cultural relativism, such as avoiding domination of one culture over others, and the problems it poses, like tolerating human rights abuses and rejecting universal moral standards.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    102 views12 pages

    Ethics, Culture and Cultural Relativism

    Uploaded by

    Kyla Trillante
    This document discusses cultural relativism and its advantages and disadvantages. It begins by defining cultural relativism as the idea that moral norms differ across societies and cultures and are not universal. It notes that cultural relativism promotes tolerance of different cultural practices but can also be used to justify harmful acts. While cultural relativism avoids moral judgments of other cultures, it may also hinder addressing social injustices. The document examines both the benefits of cultural relativism, such as avoiding domination of one culture over others, and the problems it poses, like tolerating human rights abuses and rejecting universal moral standards.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 12

    Ethics, Culture and

    Cultural Relativism
    Learning Outcomes

    At the end of the module, you are expected to:

     Define cultural relativism and identify its advantages and disadvantages


     Explain the critical role of culture in ethical reasoning and show how other
    cultures can widen one’s ethical horizon;
     Identify the challenges posed by multiplicity of cultures to ethical
    reasoning;
     Determine the different cultural elements involved in evaluating ethical
    issues
     Draw moral insights from the challenges of cultural relativism.
    Introduction
    Have you experienced already going to other provinces or countries and did what you thought right/or
    acceptable but later on being caught inappropriate or unacceptable by local people?

    Does it mean that what is right and acceptable in the Philippines is also acceptable and right for people
    living in other parts of the world like in the Americas, Europe, or even in our Asian neighboring
    countries?

    Why culture matters in shaping or influencing ethical standards as well as in ethical and moral decision
    making?

    Is there any universal standards wherein people of all culture could agree on what is right or wrong
    without considering one culture as superior and the rest are inferior?

    Up to what extent should I tolerate an act that is contrary to what I perceived to be immoral?

    How do I confront people at circumstance when an excused for an immoral action is cultural relativism?

    Let's proceed first to the basics of culture and ethics.


    Preview to Cultural Relativism
    Sociocentrism
    provides us a glimpse of our topic for today that involves the advantage and disadvantages of cultural
    relativism in the way it influence our ethical or moral decision-making.

    Sociocentrism suggests that an entire community or social group, rather than an individual,
    imposes its own worldview on others and compels its adherents to follow such orientation
    without question as a means to advance the group’s interests.

    How is it related to the concept of Cultural


    Relativism?
    What is Cultural Relativism?
    How should one deal with it?
    Is it a good idea?
    What are its limitations?
    What is Cultural Relativism?
    Cultural relativism adheres to the idea that ethical
    norms differ from one society or culture to another.

    Moral norms are not permanent; they


    change according to time, place, and
    circumstances.

    Cultural relativism implies that there are


    no universal norms of morality, that
    morality is different from one culture to
    another.
    If the plurality of cultures is respected, no
    culture will be perceived as superior over
    the others.
     Tolerance means that people should try to understand and respect the beliefs, traditions, and
    practices of the cultures of others.
     The feeling and attitude of superiority, intolerance, and impatience towards cultural differences
    must be avoided and rejected.
    Respect and tolerance are highly encouraged in interacting with other
    cultures. However, this comes with the risk that even wrong actions can be
    tolerated and justified, blurring the line between right and wrong. This can
    result in utter disregard for the human ability to make intelligent moral
    judgments.

    It is important to realize that a culture that one does not belong to, must be
    understood from the cultural perspective it comes from.

    However, a boundary must also be set in gauging how cultural practices should be
    tolerated.
    If a cultural act causes pain and violence, it becomes a hindrance to human growth
    and the welfare of the community; if it leads to poverty and injustice, then it must be
    questioned because there is no justification for an action that does not engender
    respect and tolerance. Humans are endowed with the natural ability to make rational
    moral judgments, whether something is wrong or not.
    Respect and tolerance do not mean that all ideas and practices, no matter how
    harsh they are, will be accepted and supported.
    Advantages of Cultural Relativism
    1. Cultural relativism helps avoid moral dictatorship.
    Dictators control everything and do not respect the opinions or the ideas of others. Cultural relativism respects
    diversity and the plurality of rich cultural and historical traditions. The behaviors and moral standards of other
    cultures are not always in agreement with one’s own. The question is whether it is right to impose moral standards
    applicable to all people on the moral dilemmas of people with different cultural backgrounds.
    2. Cultural relativism respects the beliefs of different cultures.
    Cultural relativism does not insult or question the ability of other cultures to make intelligent and sound moral
    judgment. Moral norms or standards of other cultures have long been respected and recognized by their own
    authorities, elders, and members. There is no objective, scientific method or valid system to judge and criticize
    the moral practices of other cultures as superior or inferior.

    3. Cultural relativism promotes unity and harmony among cultures.


    Cultural relativism counters the attitude of intolerance, arrogance, and dominance. These behaviors are the
    sources of endless misunderstanding, conflict, and hostility within and among cultures. Cultural relativism
    promotes deeper understanding and respect which is the key to better relationships among diverse cultures.
    Problems Arising from Cultural Relativism
    1. Tolerance and acceptance of social injustices and inhumane activities
     Though it has its own strengths, cultural relativism has also its negative implications. It is possible
    that it will make people turn a blind eye to the plight of the marginalized in the name of cultural
    plurality. There are many cases that the long-held cultural traditions and practices cause the
    suffering and abuse of individuals. However, these traditions and practices are passed off as
    existing in a particular cultural context that not everyone understands. A rational person will assert
    that such act should continue, yet relativism tends to accept, permit and tolerate it because of
    cultural diversity.
    2. Rejection of higher universalism or common moral standards
    • Cultural relativism reduces morality to customs, traditions, and cultural preferences. The idea of
    good or bad, wrong or right depends on the accepted practices in one’s culture. Individuals and
    groups cannot question the legitimacy or validity of cultural practices simply because it is approved
    by the society. However, is it possible to critically evaluate and criticize the quality, essence, and
    meaning of morality if objectivity is disregarded? Moral progress cannot be achieved if there are n
    universal moral standards with which to judge various cultural preferences and practices.
    Problems Arising from Cultural Relativism
    3. Assumption of knowledge of other culture is impossible
    Cultural relativism assumes that it is impossible to fully understand and immerse oneself in a foreign culture
    because people come from different cultural backgrounds. Therefore, no one is in the position to judge or criticize a
    person from a different culture.
    With globalization the atmosphere of global cooperation and unity requires transparency and understanding of
    foreign cultures. The concern for the international human rights, welfare, and development bridges the diversity and
    plurality of cultures. The desire and the noble goal to improve the quality of human life and to attain success and
    development allow people to interfere when such issue of abuse, injustice, and violation of human rights occur.

    4. Vulnerability to racial discrimination


    Cultural relativism rejects a universal sense of humanity by claiming that each culture is unique and different.
    The truth is, despite cultural differences, all humans share the same traits as human species. Generally, all
    human being are similar to one another and it is possible to understand and agree on common moral
    standards. The idea that there are unique and different cultures could also lead some people to think that their
    culture is superior to others or that others can be disparaged and controlled because they are inferiors.

    You might also like