Are Moral Values Absolute or Relative:
Are Moral Values Absolute or Relative:
A look at Moral Isolationism and Ethical Relativism
Are moral values absolute or are all values relative to the time and place in which they occurred because of differentiating cultural norms? This question will be examined thoroughly in the following pages as I try to more fully understand the ideas and principals backing Moral Isolationism and Ethical Relativism. Mary Midgley will be quoted a lot when I am talking about Moral Isolationism and the idea of not judging cultures outside of your own. Paul Taylor will be the Philosopher I take a closer look at when discussing Ethical Relativism. I will first Cover Midgley`s area of expertise followed by Taylors Ethical Relativism opinions.
Mary Midgley: Moral Isolationism
When discussing moral isolationism a name that is sure to pop up is Mary Midgley. Midgley was a professor at the University of Newcastle and has written many books, some of which deal with moral isolationism. Midgley believes that moral isolationism “makes no sense at all.” After reading Midgleys piece on moral isolationism in the book, I concluded that, I too, see many flaws in the idea of moral isolationism and cannot quite support all the concepts behind it. Many people think that taking a moral isolationist stance on other cultures and people is respectful because they are not making crude judgments. Midgley says that “nobody can respect what is entirely unintelligible to them.” I find this statement a little contradicting because if you are ENTIRELY unintelligible about something doesn’t this mean that you are completely ignorant of the subject and therefore know nothing of the topic or that this culture or person even exists. So yes of course you cannot respect something that is entirely unintelligible to you. One of many questions that Midgley brings up is, if we cannot judge other cultures are we really in a situation to be judging our own culture? After all if we knew nothing of other
A look at Moral Isolationism and Ethical Relativism
Are moral values absolute or are all values relative to the time and place in which they occurred because of differentiating cultural norms? This question will be examined thoroughly in the following pages as I try to more fully understand the ideas and principals backing Moral Isolationism and Ethical Relativism. Mary Midgley will be quoted a lot when I am talking about Moral Isolationism and the idea of not judging cultures outside of your own. Paul Taylor will be the Philosopher I take a closer look at when discussing Ethical Relativism. I will first Cover Midgley`s area of expertise followed by Taylors Ethical Relativism opinions.
Mary Midgley: Moral Isolationism
When discussing moral isolationism a name that is sure to pop up is Mary Midgley. Midgley was a professor at the University of Newcastle and has written many books, some of which deal with moral isolationism. Midgley believes that moral isolationism “makes no sense at all.” After reading Midgleys piece on moral isolationism in the book, I concluded that, I too, see many flaws in the idea of moral isolationism and cannot quite support all the concepts behind it. Many people think that taking a moral isolationist stance on other cultures and people is respectful because they are not making crude judgments. Midgley says that “nobody can respect what is entirely unintelligible to them.” I find this statement a little contradicting because if you are ENTIRELY unintelligible about something doesn’t this mean that you are completely ignorant of the subject and therefore know nothing of the topic or that this culture or person even exists. So yes of course you cannot respect something that is entirely unintelligible to you. One of many questions that Midgley brings up is, if we cannot judge other cultures are we really in a situation to be judging our own culture? After all if we knew nothing of other