Revision whizz through relativism

• A recap from the start:– Teleological and Deontological– Absolutism• Plato and the ‘forms’

– Relativism• Protagorus• Aristotle – more so than Plato• Cultural – Sumner, Mackie

Teleological and Deontological

•Teleological•‘telos’ – Greek for ‘end’•The consequence is all important

•Deontological ‘deon’ Greek for duty•Concerned with the act itself – things are either right or wrong

•Advantages and Disadvantages?

Absolutism

• Some things are right / wrong irrespective of situation, results, time or place

• Something is wrong because it breaks a moral rule

• Moral rules can be derived a priori using reason alone, as in Kantian ethics, or a posteriori, as in natural law, by observing the ends rational people pursue (primary precepts)

Plato

• Moral absolutes exist in a real way – beyond our perceptions

• The world of the ‘Forms’ – things such as colours, beauty, and virtues exist in an objective way

• Not “what is good for you?”, but “what is goodness itself?”

• The simile of the cave

Kant and Aquinas

• Kant believed in the objective moral law existing a bit like Plato’s forms, as ideas in the metaphysical realm, discovered a priori.

• Aquinas believed that the objective moral law exists in the mind of God, the eternal law, and that the natural law is the sharing by rational creatures in this eternal law.

• This law is universal, but not as absolute as is sometimes suggested, as secondary principles can change.

Relativism in the Ancient World

• Fact? – people don’t always agree on rights and wrongs – the example of King Darius

• Protagorus – truth depends on our perspectives

• Aristotle (more relativist than Plato) – Forms not absolute – virtue is a midway position between extremes (so Aquinas, who follows Aristotle, is more relativist than Kant).

Modern Relativism

• Cultural Relativism – Sumner• Observed cultural differences• Morality is simply ‘socially approved habits’

• Mackie – no objective values• Strengths?– Tolerant– Explains changes through history on issues

Evaluation• Relativism– Strengths• Accommodates differences• Tolerant• Flexible

– Weaknesses• Not all views are equal• Can’t condemn eg genocide• Is itself an absolute “there is no objective truth”

(Mackie…..but how does he know?)

Absolutism• Strengths– Fixed ethical code– A set of morals for groups of countries to follow– Some rights may be universal (life, liberty and pursuit of

happiness?)

• Weaknesses– Cannot take circumstances into account– Intolerant of culture– Fails to recognise that perception may be culturally

conditioned