Relativism and Morality - 871 Words

Running head: RELATIVISM AND MORALITY Relativism and Morality Rodney L. Cotton SOC 120 Robert Neely February 21, 2011 Relativism and Morality In the article, â€Å"Some Moral Minima,† Lenn E. Goodman raises the question, â€Å"if it is true that no norm can be made absolute unless some other is compromised, are there no rules that tell us that principles are principles – no norms delineating concretely, and uncompromisingly, wrong from right?† (Goodman, 2010) Goodman goes on to state that the areas singled out in this article are not comprehensive of every consideration to which humans are due; he asserts that these are just some of the practices that should never be considered as options. The twelve areas which Goodman addresses†¦show more content†¦Human trafficking must not be tolerated under any circumstances. No person has the right to own another person or to use another person in an inhumane way. No person has the right to infringe on another person’s freedom. Many slaves and bondages in human trafficking endure unspeakable horrors and torturous sufferings. As for Goodmanà ¢â‚¬â„¢s condemnation of incest, I would also include any form of sexual molestation, whether the person is a relative or not. There is never any excuse for anyone to violate another human being for his or her own sexual gratification. I do not agree that sexual deviancies can be justified by cultural differences. Child molestation of any form, including statutory rape, is reprehensible and unjustifiable. The final areas addressed by Goodman were rape and clitoridectomy. Both of these actions are violations against another person. While it is known that both men and women are raped, rape is primarily recognized as a sexual crime against a woman. Rape not only involves forced sex; it often also includes assault, other physical injuries, and many times, even death. I can agree with Goodman (p. 92) â€Å"that rape is not a sexual crime but a power crime.† I also agree with Goodman’s statements: â€Å"Rape is wrong. It is always wrong. No circumstance can make it right.† (p. 92) Overall, I agree with Goodman that there are some absolutes in society and certain actions that should never be accepted orShow MoreRelatedMoral Relativism : Morality And War879 Words   |  4 PagesMoral Relativism Debate Moral relativism is the idea that there is no absolute moral standard that is applicable to any person at any place at any given time. It suggests that there are situations in which certain behavior that would normally be considered â€Å"wrong† can actually be considered â€Å"right†. Moral relativism has played an increasingly significant role in today’s society, particularly regarding the differences between the countries of the world. This essay will summarize and explain bothRead MoreMoral Relativism And Moral Morality1627 Words   |  7 Pagesare either true or false. In addition,the great philosopher known as Plato also leaned towards the moral realism side rather then moral relativism. Moral Relativism is culturally based upon the believes of ones right or wrong decisions. Every day people decide what is right for themselves to do that morning when they wake up. Over the years moral relativism has been noticed as a primary moral philosophy and is still practiced in todays society. Being morally right, or ethically right is basedRead MoreCultural Relativism : A Universal Standard Of Morality1480 Words   |  6 PagesCultural relativism is the view that all beliefs, customs, and ethics of a culture should be understood and tolerated by people of other cultures (Fastiggi, 2013, p.30). 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DINH NAM TRAN 308213904 Cultural relativism, as defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. â€Å"Is the thesis that a person’s culture strongly influences her modes of perception and thought† Most cultural relativists add to this definition saying that there is no standard of morality. This means that morality is relative to the particular society that one lives in. ProminentRead MoreRelativism, Multiculturalism, And Universal Norms866 Words   |  4 PagesAni Martirosyan Philosophy 305 Business Ethics Assignment #4 Chapter 8: Relativism, Multiculturalism, And Universal Norms: Their Role in Business Ethics The central thesis of Beauchamp’s argument is as follows: I argue that although a relativism of all moral standards is an untenable position, a lower-level relativism of moral judgment and multiculturalism are morally warranted. I conclude that there is a universal common morality, but that it allows for moral disagreement and legitimate differencesRead MoreEthical Relativism And Moral Relativism962 Words   |  4 Pagesagainst moral relativism as the correct way to judge human morality. There are several issues with moral relativism, and I will focus on why moral relativism’s argument is false and also consider the implications of accepting relativism. I will propose an alternative framework for making moral judgments about right and wrong and consider relativist objections. Philosophers often vary in their usage of moral relativism, so, for the purpose of this paper, I will be considering moral relativism to be the