Ethical Relativism: A Detailed Analysis of Arguments and Objections

This essay delves into conventional ethical relativism (CER), examining arguments for and against it. CER posits that moral truths are relative to specific individuals or societies, evolving with social norms. The arguments in favor of CER include cultural diversity, avoiding ethnocentrism, and culturally conditioned values. However, CER faces criticisms regarding conflicting cultures and the role of reformers, whose beliefs often challenge the cultural majority. The essay concludes by noting that while ethical relativism highlights cultural differences in moral practices, fundamental moral principles often underlie these variations, and some moral beliefs can be universally recognized despite cultural contexts. Desklib offers a platform for students to access this and other study resources.

Running head: ETHICS
Ethics
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note
The present study discusses about conventional ethical relativism and its arguments based
on this. Ethical relativism refers to the view that normative or moral statements are not
considered as true but true in relation to specific individual or society which happens to hold the
belief. This position asserts that the moral of people evolve as well as change based on social
norms during a specific time period. This philosophy permit people in mutating ethically
sincetechnology, culture, and knowledge variation in society. Repeatedly, the individual’s value
is determinedby the combination of pattern, emotions, which seemed in bringing about most
benefit.
ConventionalEthicalrelativism (CER)
Conventional ethical relativism (CER) usually ropes with the view that the truth of moral
principles has relation to cultures. Some theories support the view that whatever the culture
depicts is appropriate for an individual. The culture has become highest authority on the right
thing for every individual within the society. Moreover, conventional ethical relativism mainly
reflects will of person’s subordinate to the will of cultural majority. Thus, conventional

1ETHICS
relativism signifies that every individual have to persuade others for engaging in activities that is
usually viewed as immoral by the community.
Argument on CER and explanations to two objections to the argument
The arguments for conventional ethical relativism are discussed below-
Cultural diversity- The cultural diversity argument seeks in supporting conventional relativism
by alluring to the facts about huge variety of cultural practices across the globe. According to
some literary perceptions when the cultures were remote before and less information was
acquired about the distant lands (Craft 230). It might be reasonable to know about traditions as
well as practices of an individual culture that represents the right way in doing things. At present,
each of the conventions as well as norms highlight on several possibilities and also other cultures
opting for other method of performing actions.
Avoiding ethnocentrism- The argument for conventional relativism utilizes facts regarding
cultural diversity in arguing against the moral absolutism. Another argument claims that this is
intrinsically wrong with moral absolutism view, which indicates that few cultures are better than
others. Ethnocentrism means making judgment of another culture via one individuals’ own
culture and not seeing things from the perspective (Thomas 400). However, it leads to thinking
about individual culture is bigger than others. The conventional relativists usually claim that their
position is not ethnocentric unlike the moral absolutism.
Culturally conditioned values- One argument for the conventional relativism starts by
concentrating on sourcing values as well as beliefs regarding morality. The Conventional
relativists generally claim that those individual believe in the moral absolutes are bind to cultural
influences, which shapes their opinions about ethics. As per conventional relativism, one’s

2ETHICS
culturemust be stopped judging with other culture. Moreover, one must stop pretending that any
ethical judgments as well as opinions highlights more than historical forces that make one’s life
(Acsu.buffalo.edu).
Argument against conventional ethical relativism:
Conflicting culture-Quintelier et al. cites that conventional relativism mainly claims that the right
thing for an individual is determined by culture he or she belongs to (113). This means that if an
individual belongs to one culture, then its value conflict with other culture value. Moreover,
conventional relativism do not reflect anything about the country as opposed to other cultures.
This CER appears to operate fairly when every individual has been considering culture other
than owns particularly, when culture meets following conditions that include-
a) Culture is non- industrialized as well as non- western
b) Culture must be discussed by ethnocentric westerners
c) Culture has been monolithic which means that there is one social structure defining social
relation of culture.
Reformers-The CER mainly subordinates the will of individual to will of cultural majority. This
signifies that what is right for an individual is what the culture says it right. Reformers are
individual whose beliefs as well as actions runs opposite to that of surrounding culture and those
who strives in changing beliefs as well as actions of their culture. As per conventional relativism,
the reformers are always wrong. Several researchers argue with the fact that majority of people is
right always and status quo must be respected always. However, conventional relativism depicts
that reformers are wrong, which in turn gives string reason in thinking CER is false.

3ETHICS
Ethicists reject the ethical relativism theory. According to them, moral practices are
differed society wise while the fundamental moral principles based on these theories do not.
Moreover, they also argue that some moral beliefs can be recognized as culturally relative while
others are not. Certain practices depend on local social customs while universal moral standards
govern some other practices, which are judged as wrong irrespective of cultural differences.
Ethical relativism has some other criticisms as well (Demuijnck 820). According to some
philosophers, if right or wrong implications related to an action depends completely on the
norms of a society then one need to follow the norms of the society from where he or she
belongs. In this context, the strong argument against the concept of ethical relativism states that
according to some people, universal moral standards exist though some moral believes and
practices vary within culture (Hayward 14). Thus, cultural differences can be acknowledged
within moral practices and beliefs though some of these are morally wrong.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that CER form of relativism usually puts
forward challenging arguments as against the moral absolutism. The relativists seems to be right
regarding ethnocentrism evils and tolerance virtue. It also tries in promoting positive respect in
other means of individuals’ life.

4ETHICS
References
Acsu.buffalo.edu. "Ethical Relativism". Acsu.Buffalo.Edu, 2018,
http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~jbeebe2/relativ.htm. Accessed 10 Oct 2018.
Craft, Jana L. "A review of the empirical ethical decision-making literature: 2004–2011." Journal
of business ethics 117.2 (2013): 221-259.
Demuijnck, Geert. "Universal values and virtues in management versus cross-cultural moral
relativism: An educational strategy to clear the ground for business ethics." Journal of
Business Ethics 128.4 (2015): 817-835.
Hayward, Max Khan. "Non-naturalist moral realism and the limits of rational
reflection." Australasian Journal of Philosophy(2017): 1-14.
Quintelier, Katinka JP, and Daniel MT Fessler. "Varying versions of moral relativism: the
philosophy and psychology of normative relativism." Biology & Philosophy 27.1 (2012):
95-113.
Rodríguez, Carlos. "A Quantitative Examination of the Relationship of Work Experience to
Attitudes of Business Ethics in Graduate Students." Journal of Leadership,
Accountability and Ethics 14.3 (2017): 64-75.
Thomas, Stuart. "Ethics and accounting education." Issues in Accounting Education 27.2 (2012):
399-418.