Relativism

1. Relativism Michael Lacewing enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk

2. Descriptive relativism • Moral codes differ from one society to the next: • Some believe slavery is permissible, some don’t. • Some enforce female circumcision, some don’t • Some hold that everyone should be treated as equals, some don’t • This is a factual claim.

3. Normative relativism • Aka metaethical relativism, cultural relativism • There is no objective moral standard independent of what societies endorse. • There is no objective moral truth for all people at all times. • So we can’t say that a society’s moral value or practice is objectively right/wrong.

4. Normative relativism • ‘Morally right’ = ‘right according to (some) society’s moral code’ • We can’t use the standards of one society (e.g. ours) to judge another society’s morality.

5. Normative relativism • Descriptive relativism doesn’t imply normative relativism. • Disagreement is not enough to abandon truth • Societies could make mistakes. • Relativism is a kind of social non-cognitivism. • But for individuals within society, there is a right answer – relativism is not subjectivism.

6. Moral judgements as social conventions • Societies are not trying to get at the ‘ethical truth’; instead ethical values and practices are part of a way of living. • Each makes moral claims that are ‘true for them’. • Scientific truth v. ethical truth: • Science: discovers how the one, physical world is • Ethics: what would explain ethical ‘mistakes’ or getting the correct answer? • There are many social worlds with different conventions, not one world which guides us towards agreement.

7. Relativism and human nature • Different societies share many general principles and virtues • E.g. prohibitions on killing, lying, theft • Endorse care of the weak and courage • Different ethical practices reflect different conditions, not different principles • Aristotle: we all aim to achieve the best life • We all live in some society, and will need similar virtues for this • Some societies endorse traits that don’t help people flourish

8. Relativism and human nature • Reply: There is no one ‘best’ life for people – the idea is culturally relative. • Not all societies believe everyone is equal, so don’t agree that everyone should be assisted to achieve the best life.

9. Judging abhorrent practices • Does relativism entail that ‘anything goes’? It seems to imply tolerance. • But this has limits – should we tolerate everything? • How can we continue to hold our own moral beliefs? • Does morality become a matter of taste? Does it lack authority? • Reply: morality is social – we can still judge individuals by their social codes.

10. Tolerance • Relativism does not imply tolerance: • Tolerance is a virtue: • ‘You ought to be tolerant’ – what if my society’s moral code recommends intolerance? • If I disagree with you over morality, I will also try to persuade (not force) people of my views • Morality is important; we find it impossible to restrict.

11. Moral progress • Can society progress? • It can change, but if there is no independent objective standard, how is this change an ‘improvement’? • Reply: there can be objective improvements in rationality • Discovering new facts (slaves don’t have lower IQs) • Becoming more consistent (applying principles more broadly) • Becoming more coherent (resolving tensions between principles)

12. Moral progress • To make a change is to make an improvement, if the new code approves of the change • Of course, this is relative to the new point of view • But this is just the old problem of moral disagreement