1

Cultural Relativism

2

Outline

Introduction: Cultural differences: the lesson to take

The Cultural Difference Argument

Against Cultural Relativism

Lessons and Conclusion

3

Cultural Differences: The Lesson to take

From cultural differences to cultural relativism?

An undeniable fact: Different values in different cultures

Two ways to take this fact into account:

1. Moral Circumspection – healthy especially for

Westerners

2. Cultural Relativism – there are no culture-

independent moral values

What’s

the

difference

?

Cultural Relativism is a view on Morality

4

Cultural Differences: The Lesson to take

Signs that something must be wrong

1. Comparison with science:

Scientific Circumspection vs Scientific Relativism

2. What if we take Cultural Relativism seriously?

- no way to criticize values from other societies

- no way to criticize values from our own society

- no way to talk about moral progress

Our aim for the class: Find a way to save tolerance

without falling into mere relativism.

5

Outline

Introduction: Cultural differences: the lesson to take

The Cultural Difference Argument

Against Cultural Relativism

Lessons and Conclusion

6

Outline

Introduction: Cultural differences: the lesson to take

The Cultural Difference Argument

Against Cultural Relativism

Lessons and Conclusion

7

Cultural Relativism:

The Cultural Difference Argument

The Cultural Difference Argument:

P1. Different Cultures have different sets of moral

values

CC. Therefore, there exists no truth about morality

Why is the Cultural Difference Argument not valid?

Whether something is the case or not does not have

anything to do with what people believe about it

8

Cultural Relativism:

The Cultural Difference Argument

The Cultural Difference Argument about the Earth:

P1. Different Cultures have different beliefs about

whether the Earth is round or flat

CC. Therefore, there exists no truth about whether the

Earth is flat or round

9

Cultural Relativism:

The Cultural Difference Argument

The Cultural Difference Argument about God:

P1. Different Cultures have different beliefs about

whether or not there exists a God

CC. Therefore, there exists no truth about whether or

not there exists a God

10

Cultural Relativism:

The Cultural Difference Argument

The Cultural Difference Argument about X:

P1. Different Cultures have different beliefs about

whether or not X is the case

CC. Therefore, there exists no truth about whether or

not X is the case

The Cultural Difference argument is not valid

11

Outline

Introduction: Cultural differences: the lesson to take

The Cultural Difference Argument

Against Cultural Relativism

Lessons and Conclusion

12

Against Cultural Relativism:

Cultural Agreement

Surface difference between customs, deep agreement

concerning values:

Grandma the cow

Dealing with the dead

Much more agreement than one might think

Cultural Relativism fails to account for such

agreement

13

Against Cultural Relativism:

Cultural Agreement

A custom is often not a good indicators of deep values:

- The same value can be expressed through different

customs

Ex: Grandma the cow again!

- The same custom can be the expression of different

values

Ex: various vegetarians

One has to look deeper into cultural differences

14

Against Cultural Relativism:

Cultural Agreement

Values that are the very conditions of possibility of a viable

society:

Truth telling

Prohibition of murder

There are some deep values that must be shared

by any society

15

Outline

Introduction: Cultural differences: the lesson to take

The Cultural Difference Argument

Against Cultural Relativism

Lessons and Conclusion

16

Lessons to Take From Cultural Differences

As a view on Morality, Cultural Relativism fails:

- the argument in its favor is invalid

- there is counter-evidence (cultural agreement)

The fact of Cultural Differences still calls for tolerance

Warning against self-centered dogmatism and

prejudices

17

Lessons to Take From Cultural Differences

We CAN claim:

- That some values are better than others

- That some customs are wrong

BUT we CANNOT make such a claim JUST

BECAUSE such values correspond to the values

of our own society

- The “best” values may or may not be the values of

our own society

- In which society such or such value is accepted is

irrelevant to whether or not we take it as among

the “best” values.

Essay 4

In your opinion, does cultural relativism

pose a threat for the ethical

management of the environment in

South Africa? Motivate your answer with

your own examples.