Morality In Ruth Benedict's Patterns Of Culture

In ‘Patterns of Culture’, Ruth Benedict wrote, “Morality differs in every society, and is a convenient term for socially approved habits.” Cultural relativists have claimed the following; (1) different societies have different moral codes. (2) The moral code of a society determines what is right within that society. (3) There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one society’s code as better than another’s. (4) The moral code of our own society has no special status. And (5), It is arrogant for us to judge other cultures. We should always be tolerant of them. ‘The Elements of Moral Philosophy’ states that some of the propositions listed are inconsistent with each other. For example, number two and five. If the moral code of a
To be naïve in the sense that the way one is living is the only correct way to live. In order to have the world functioning in the way that it is one must know that some values are shared by all cultures. The Elements of Moral Philosophy provides the example of truth telling. If in society, there was no value on telling the truth. Then, when speaking with someone, the person whom one is speaking to can be lying…this person can be lying about many things including work matters. Then there wouldn’t be any value and any reason to pay attention to what anyone says. “If I want to know what time it is, why bother asking anyone, if lying is a commonplace?” Communication would be almost impossible and society cannot exist without communication, therefore society would become impossible. A very important second example is murder If everyone was allowed to kill each other if they wanted, no one would feel safe, no one would trust anyone, and everyone would constantly feel on guard. Parents wouldn’t let kids out or have many friends if not