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Ethical relativism, the doctrine that there are no absolute truths in ethics and that what is morally right or wrong varies from person to person or from society to society. (Read Peter Singer’s Britannica entry on ethics.) Herodotus, the Greek historian of the 5th century bc, advanced this view.
Feb 27, 2018 · Abstract. The main aim of this paper is to advance, clarify, and defend a definition of relativism. On the definition, relativism does not contrast with absolutism, is not the same as pluralism, contrasts with universalism and nihilism, and is compatible with both moral objectivity and moral subjectivity. Advantages of the definition are noted ...
How controversial, and how coherent, these forms of relativism are will obviously vary according to what is being relativized to what, and in what manner. In contemporary philosophy, the most widely discussed forms of relativism are moral relativism, cognitive relativism, and aesthetic relativism.
Jun 20, 2023 · Moral relativism is an ethical theory that suggests that morality is not universal and that instead, moral values are relative to cultural norms. It is the belief that moral values and beliefs change depending on the cultural context in which they are applied.
Often the subject of heated debate, moral relativism is a cluster of doctrines concerning diversity of moral judgment across time, societies and individuals. Descriptive relativism is the doctrine that extensive diversity exists and that it concerns values and principles central to moralities.
Sep 20, 2012 · Introduction. That people disagree about fundamental issues—such as the nature of reality, the scope of knowledge, or what moral code is correct—is uncontroversial. What is much more controversial is the thought that antagonists in such debates may both be right, that there is a sense in which people legitimately may hold competing views.
First, we present a working definition of moral relativism. Second, we outline naturalist versions of normative relativism, and third, we highlight the empirical constraints in this reasoning. Fourth, we discuss recent studies in moral psychology that are relevant for the philosophy of moral relativism.
