Ethical relativism supports the theory that:
- a. different societies have similar ideas about right and wrong.
- b. what is right is determined by what a culture or society says is right.
- c. morality is relative to the goal of promoting human well-being.
- d. there are no moral values whatsoever.
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is b. what is right is determined by what a culture or society says is right.
Explanation:
Ethical relativism is a moral theory that asserts that moral principles are not universal and objective, but are instead determined by cultural, societal, or individual preferences. According to this view, what is considered morally right or wrong depends on the particular cultural context or the social norms of a given society. There are two main forms of ethical relativism: cultural relativism and individual relativism.
Cultural relativism, the more commonly referenced form of ethical relativism, holds that moral norms and values are not universally applicable but are instead relative to the beliefs and practices of a particular culture. For example, certain practices that are considered morally acceptable in one society (such as arranged marriages or capital punishment) might be viewed as morally wrong in another society. According to ethical relativism, neither of these perspectives can be objectively judged as better or worse, because each culture’s moral code is valid within its own context.
This theory contrasts with moral objectivism, which claims that there are universal moral standards that apply to all people, regardless of cultural differences. In ethical relativism, there is no objective standard by which to measure the morality of practices across cultures. Therefore, what is deemed right or wrong is completely based on what the society or culture believes at that time.
Ethical relativism provides a way of understanding and respecting cultural diversity by suggesting that it is inappropriate to impose one culture’s moral standards on another. However, critics argue that this view could allow harmful practices (such as human rights violations) to be justified simply because they are culturally accepted, which raises important ethical dilemmas.
Thus, ethical relativism emphasizes that moral judgments should be understood within the context of a particular culture’s beliefs and values, and not through the lens of external, universal standards.