Cultural Relativism: The Minimum Conception Of Cultural Values

Moral schools of thought dictate ethical behavior, however, every culture assigns ethical and moral values differently (Lecture 1). Without a moral or ethical structure, society would not prosper. Clashing cultural values make defining morality complicated. Ethicists argue the minimum conception of morality establishes a starting point based on reason that defines and installs a code of morality or ethics. The minimum conception of morality is an “effort to guide one’s conduct by reason—that is, to do what there are the best reasons for doing—while giving equal weight to the interests of each individual affected by one’s action” (Rachels 13). When the minimum conception of reality is applied to various ethical schools of thought: cultural
The idea of right and wrong varies from culture to culture. The five tenets of cultural relativism going to depth defining moral codes. Complications and moral questions arise when one culture begins harming another—Nazi genocide, war, imperialism, etc. Geographic boundaries blur in our technologically advanced, globalized world. The most daunting logical challenge presented by cultural relativism is it hinders a society from judging the codes or values of another society and even our own (Lecture 1). Therefore, atrocities could be committed with no consequences or moral justice. “The conscientious moral agent is someone impartially with the interests of everyone affected by what he or she does; who carefully sifts facts and examines their implications…” (Rachels 14). Cultural relativism challenges reason and impartiality because its tenets are logically inconsistent. It benefits more people to condemn or questions the values behind certain acts committed, such as genocide, stoning, gang rape, and
This suggests human moral choices should be made with only their own selfish interests at heart. If we do the best for ourselves, it will benefit others. The problem with this theory is that a person may have both selfish and good intentions when committing and act of kindness. Since ethical egoism only allows one option—self-interest, it is perpetuating flawed logic that would not hold up if reason is applied to the theory. Also, ethical egoism is an “arbitrary doctrine, in the same way that racism is arbitrary…” and it violates the “Principle of Equal Treatment” (Rachels