cultural relativism

marilou.evangelista@lorma.edu
Ethics
 DEFINE CULTURAL
01 RELATIVISM

LEARNING 02
DISCUSS ETHICAL
RELATIVISM/MORAL RELATIVISM

OBJECTIVES 03
EXPLAIN THE LIMITATIONS AND
ADVANTAGES OF CULTURAL
RELATIVISM
 CULTURAL RELATIVISM
01
02 ETHICAL RELATIVISM/MORAL
RELATIVISM

03 THEORY OF CULTURAL DETERMINISM

TOPICS 04 SIX PROPOSTIONS OF CULTURAL
RELATIVISM

LIMITATIONS OF CULTURAL
05 RELATIVISM AND ETHICAL
RELATIVISM
What is culture?
Culture is a concept that encompasses the social behaviors, institutions,
practices, beliefs, traditions, laws, arts, customs, habits, knowledge, and
capabilities of individuals in a given society.
manifested in:
symbolic communication
cultivated behavior and learned behavior
behavioral patterns- explicit or implicit
collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of
one group or category of people from another.
culture differs from one society to another
What is the Theory of Cultutral Determinism?
The position that people learn ideas, meanings, beliefs, and values as members of society
that determine human nature.
people are what they learn
Two views of this theory:
The optimistic version of cultural determinism places no limits on human beings'
abilities to do or be whatever they want.
“Our way”
human beings can choose the ways of life they prefer
The pessimistic version of cultural determinism maintains that people are what
they are conditioned to be; this is something they have no control over.
Humans are passive creatures and do whatever their culture tells them.
Six Propositions of Cultural Relativism:
Different societies have different moral codes.
There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one societal code better than
another.
The moral code of our own society has no special status; it is merely one among many.
There is no "universal truth" in ethics; that is, there are no moral truths that hold for all
peoples at all times.
The moral code of a society determines what is right within that society; that is, if the
moral code of a society says that a certain action is right, then that action is right, at least
within that society.
It is mere arrogance for us to try to judge the conduct of other peoples. We should adopt
an attitude of tolerance toward the practices of other cultures.
 The Cultural Differences Argument
Although it may seem that these six propositions go naturally together, they are independent of
one another in the sense that some of them might be false even if others are true
there is a particular form of argument at the heart of Cultural Relativism.
we need to argue from facts about the differences between cultural outlooks to a
conclusion about the status of morality.
Example:
The Eskimos see nothing wrong with infanticide, whereas Americans believe
infanticide is immoral.
Therefore, infanticide is neither objectively right nor objectively wrong.
It is merely a matter of opinion, which varies from culture to culture.
 The Cultural Difference Argument:
Example:
The Eskimos see nothing wrong with infanticide, whereas Americans believe infanticide is
immoral.
Therefore, infanticide is neither objectively right nor objectively wrong.
It is merely a matter of opinion, which varies from culture to culture.
Clearly, these arguments are variations of one fundamental idea which says that:
Different cultures have different moral codes.
And since these moral codes are derived from different cultures, there is no objective
"truth" in morality. Right and wrong are only matters of opinion, and opinions vary from
culture to culture.
This is how people look at cultural relativism.
 Introduction
Cultural relativism is the position that no universal standard exists to
measure cultures.
All cultural values and beliefs must be understood relative to their
cultural context and not judged based on outside norms and values.
This concept was established by Franz Boas, an anthropologist, in 1887 :
“...civilization is not something absolute, but ... is relative, and ... our
ideas and conceptions are true only so far as our civilization goes."
it was his student Robert Lowie who used the term “cultural relativism.
Cultural Relativism is also called Descriptive Moral Relativism
 Cultural Relativism
holds that ethical values vary from society to society and that the basis
for moral judgments lies in these social or cultural views.
must look to the norms of the society before a judgment is given
cultural relativism holds that no society’s views are better than any other
in a transcultural sense
different cultures have different practices, standards, and values.
Examples:
Breast ironing
Female circumcision
Child labor
polygamy
cannibalism
 Cultural Relativism
cultural relativism holds that no society’s views are better than any other in a transcultural
sense; this is the ideal concept of Cultural Relativism
However, since the development of civilization differs from one country to another, this
gave rise to:
Ethnocentrism- the belief that one's culture is superior and correct compared to others.
the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own
culture.
example: Americans have considered their culture superior since the beginning
of the modern period. The English language is the lingua franca
Xenocenthrism-is the belief that other cultures are better than one's own culture
Some Filipinos have considered their culture as inferior to the Western countries;
thus, assimilation and acculturation are easy.
 Cultural Relativism
Cultural relativists suggest that one culture's values, beliefs, and norms
should not be judged through the lens of another culture.
example:
The Chinese culture and the process of foot binding are used to
stop the growth of feet and make them smaller. Small feet is a
status symbol, especially for women
Breast ironing, a harmful practice mainly performed on girls and
women in parts of Africa (south of the Sahara), is defended based
on tradition, culture, religion, or superstition by some community
members
 Two Categories of Cultural Relativism
Absolute Cultural Relativism
Complete acceptance and tolerance for any cultural practice.
Everything that happens within a culture must and should not be
questioned by outsiders.
the Holocaust that happened during the time of Hitler is
accepted by the Nazi party.
Some African tribes accept breast ironing to save women from
being raped.
this point of view proposes that outsiders should not criticize or
question the cultural practices of other societies, no matter what
they might involve.
 Two Categories of Cultural Relativism

Critical Cultural Relativism

Critiquing cultural practices in terms of human rights.
Creates questions about cultural practices regarding who is accepting them and
why.
suggests that practices should be evaluated regarding how and why they are
adopted.
recognizes power relationships
examples:
Cannibalism is an ancient cultural practice in some tribes in Africa and even
Europe. ( human rights)
some tribes in the Philippines eat dog-meat. ( Animal Cruelty)
Cultural Relativism vs Individual Relativism

Individual Relativism
Ethical judgments and beliefs are the expressions of ‘individuals' moral outlook
and attitudes.
Judgment is subjective
Subjectivism
includes biases
views and attitudes
Cannot become a standard norm
There is always an objective judgment
open to moral failure and erosion of morality
it is not cultural relativism
 Ethical or Moral Relativism

Ethical relativism is the position that there are no moral absolutes or right and wrongs.
Instead, right and wrong are based on social norms.
since there is a wide variety of practices and cultures, our morals have evolved,
changed over time, and are not absolute.
Example:
Since “breast ironing’ and female circumcision are violative of women’s
rights, these practices are already considered taboo.
 How to address Cultural Relativism

Tolerance
The assumption made is that the absence of prejudice by default means a person
is tolerant.
to refrain from judging and condemning others.
since various cultures have different values, we cannot judge which culture is
right or wrong.
It can be grounded in the moral domain, which offers a positive approach to
examining relationships between groups of people who are different.
 How to address Cultural Relativism

Tolerance is about how you treat other people. It isn’t about what you believe about
their beliefs
Example:
Child labor is allowed in China.
I firmly believe it is wrong, so I can't entirely agree with this practice. I am
saying that children should enjoy their childhood and have the right to
primary education.
I’m stating a fact about our disagreement.
Disagreement itself does not imply disrespect for those you disagree with.
 Tolerance as a moral obligation

is a moral obligation or duty involving respect for the individual and mutual respect
and consideration between people.
Tolerance between people makes it possible for conflicting claims of beliefs, values,
and ideas to coexist as long as they fit within acceptable moral values.
Many people don’t understand that being a cultural relativist does not necessarily
mean that you are tolerant of other cultures.
Understanding/respecting differences, however, does not mean that we accept
the act or are blind about it (especially when cultural beliefs transgress human
rights or dignity).
Why do people reluctant to criticize other cultures

there is an understandable nervousness about "interfering in the social customs of

other peoples."
People also feel, rightly enough, that they should be tolerant of other cultures.
people may be reluctant to judge because they do not want to express contempt for
the society being criticized.
 Limitations of Cultrual Relativism

Failure to address human rights

It can be challenging to practice non-judgment of other cultures while still
protecting people’s right to live free from discrimination and oppression.
Failure to reduce cultural stereotypes.
Different cultures have different moral codes. What is thought right within one
group may be utterly abhorrent to the members of another group and vice versa
It leads observers to prioritize a culture’s collective values more while dismissing
individual variations.
 Limitations of Cultrual Relativism
Some claim that while the moral practices of societies may differ, the fundamental
ethical principles underlying these practices do not.
Example:
in some societies, killing one's parents after they reached a certain age was
common practice, stemming from the belief that people were better off in the
afterlife if they entered it while still physically active and vigorous.
Objections for most cultures:
Duty to care parents
Honor thy parents
filial piety
in matters of law, patricide/parricide
 Limitations of Cultrual Relativism
its implications for individual moral beliefs
if the rightness or wrongness of an action depends on a society's norms, then it
follows that one must obey the norms of one's society, and to diverge from those
norms is to act immorally.
Divorce is legalized in some Western countries but not in some, like the
Philippines ( sanctity of marriage)
Cannibalism - value of life
Slavery-
that universal moral standards can exist even if some moral practices and beliefs
vary among cultures ( strongest opposition)
 Positive values of Cultural Relativism
Respect for other cultures
the universal respect for different cultures and countries around the world.
Preservation of cultures
some cultures of the world that promote understanding, rights, and diversity are
recognized, adapted, and adopted by some cultural ethnicities.
It is a very tolerant view and fits well with how cultures change since cultures are
constantly developing as our world continues to develop
 Universal values accepted by all cultures
prohibition against murder (wanton killing within the sub-group); as distinguished from
other forms of justifiable homicide;
prohibition against stealing within the in-groups;
prohibition against incest and other regulations on sexual behavior;
prohibition, under defined circumstances, against lying, killing, etc.
norms respecting reciprocity, fairness, parental responsibility, and filial obedience, as well as
values regarding health, happiness, and knowledge
stimulation of mutual obligations between parents and children
observance of rights and freedom, justice, equality, and limitations as defined by law

All other universal values are indicated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, drafted by
the representatives of different nations and cultures in the UN General Assembly in Paris, Dec.
10, 1948.
 References:
Cultural Relativism Retrieved March 22, 2024 from
https://www.verywellmind.com/understanding-cultural-relativism-7549709

Cultural Relativism Retrieved March 22, 2024 from

https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Anthropology/Cultural_Anthropology/Cultu
ral_Anthropology_(Evans)/01%3A_What_is_Anthropology/1.06%3A_Cultural_Relativis
m
Challenges of Cultural Relativism Retrieved March 24, 2024, from
https://faculty.uca.edu/rnovy/Rachels--Cultural%20Relativism.htm
thank you for
listening