Overview

Moral relativism is the view that moral judgments are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint (for instance, that of a culture or a historical period) and that no standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others.

Core Idea

The core idea is “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” What is right in one culture might be wrong in another, and there is no universal standard to judge between them.

Formal Definition

  • Descriptive Relativism: The observation that different cultures have different moral codes (a fact).
  • Meta-ethical Relativism: The theory that there is no objective truth about morality; “right” just means “approved by my culture.”

Intuition

  • Dietary Codes: Eating pork is wrong for a Muslim but fine for a Christian. A relativist says morality is like this: a set of local rules, not universal laws like gravity.
  • Ancient History: We might condemn ancient slavery, but a relativist might say, “It was right for them at that time.”

Examples

  • Cultural Differences: Some cultures practice polygamy; others insist on monogamy.
  • Herodotus: The ancient historian told the story of Greeks (who burned their dead) and Callatians (who ate their dead) being horrified by each other’s customs. He concluded: “Custom is king of all.”

Common Misconceptions

  • Misconception: Relativism promotes tolerance.
    • Correction: Not necessarily. If your culture’s code says “Be intolerant of outsiders,” a consistent relativist has to say that intolerance is right for you.
  • Misconception: “It’s all relative” means nothing matters.
    • Correction: It matters within the framework. You can still be a “bad” person by violating your own culture’s norms.
  • Moral Absolutism: The view that certain actions are absolutely right or wrong, regardless of context.
  • Moral Subjectivism: The view that morality is relative to the individual, not the culture.
  • Ethnocentrism: Judging other cultures by the standards of your own.

Applications

  • Anthropology: Avoiding judgment when studying other cultures.
  • International Relations: The debate over whether “Human Rights” are universal or a Western construct.

Criticism and Limitations

  • The Reformer’s Dilemma: If “right” is determined by the culture, then a moral reformer (like MLK or Jesus) who opposes their culture is, by definition, wrong.
  • No Progress: We can’t say we have made “moral progress” (e.g., abolishing slavery), only that we have changed.
  • Universal Wrongs: Most people have a strong intuition that some things (like torture for fun) are wrong everywhere, regardless of culture.

Further Reading

  • Moral Relativism: A Reader by Moser and Carson
  • The Elements of Moral Philosophy by James Rachels (Critique)