Ethical Relativism and the Brazilian Way
Matsdorff Professor Dr. Connie Humphreys Ethics – PHI 112 February 21, 2011.
Ethical Relativism and the “ Jeitinho Brasileiro” – Brazilian Way
Introduction
Sometimes, the right and the wrong are hard to identify with clarity. What is ethical in a society cannot be in another. The culture and the moral values from each society will be a guide to analyze if an individual behavior is ethical or is not. Likewise, the individual is influenced by the culture of society which he is inserted. The culture varies from one society to another.
But, what is culture? Culture is a set of values that guide the thought and the behaviors of society members. These values are transmitted from generation to generation by formal and informal education: family, rituals, school, friends, and the general community. Thus, the culture is the most valuable asset of a nation. The culture identifies the people in the world.
In Brazilian culture, we can identify a peculiar trace present in the social relationship: "O Jeitinho Brasileiro" (Brazilian Way). “O Jeitinho Brasileiro” being a phenomenon that occurs in Brazilian society and affects the ethical question in the relations deserves a deeper analyzes. My proposal is to analyze “O Jeitinho Brasileiro” trough the theory of Ethical Relativism.
We know by definition that within the theory of Ethical Relativism we must not judge the moral values relative to a particular culture because there is not an absolute and universal moral truth. In the same way, the truth of moral judgments is relative to the opinions, feelings and preferences of each individual (Ethical subjectivism).
“O Jeitinho Brasileiro”– Brazilian Way
“O Jeitinho Brasileiro” is an expression often used by Brazilians to define the ability to solve certain tasks, situations, or even problems. It is an exclusive feature of Brazilian people. “O Jeitinho Brasileiro” can be defined like a creative and improvised form to resolve an unexpected problem. It is
Ethical Relativism and the “ Jeitinho Brasileiro” – Brazilian Way
Introduction
Sometimes, the right and the wrong are hard to identify with clarity. What is ethical in a society cannot be in another. The culture and the moral values from each society will be a guide to analyze if an individual behavior is ethical or is not. Likewise, the individual is influenced by the culture of society which he is inserted. The culture varies from one society to another.
But, what is culture? Culture is a set of values that guide the thought and the behaviors of society members. These values are transmitted from generation to generation by formal and informal education: family, rituals, school, friends, and the general community. Thus, the culture is the most valuable asset of a nation. The culture identifies the people in the world.
In Brazilian culture, we can identify a peculiar trace present in the social relationship: "O Jeitinho Brasileiro" (Brazilian Way). “O Jeitinho Brasileiro” being a phenomenon that occurs in Brazilian society and affects the ethical question in the relations deserves a deeper analyzes. My proposal is to analyze “O Jeitinho Brasileiro” trough the theory of Ethical Relativism.
We know by definition that within the theory of Ethical Relativism we must not judge the moral values relative to a particular culture because there is not an absolute and universal moral truth. In the same way, the truth of moral judgments is relative to the opinions, feelings and preferences of each individual (Ethical subjectivism).
“O Jeitinho Brasileiro”– Brazilian Way
“O Jeitinho Brasileiro” is an expression often used by Brazilians to define the ability to solve certain tasks, situations, or even problems. It is an exclusive feature of Brazilian people. “O Jeitinho Brasileiro” can be defined like a creative and improvised form to resolve an unexpected problem. It is