Challenges of Cultural Relativism

Cultures, beliefs, and values have solid impact on developing socially acceptable behaviors and customs. When customs differ across cultures, the values often change also. When an individual examines a different culture, questions and feelings arise due to their own beliefs. The challenge of cultural relativism is to make rational decisions on what morals can be considered absolute. This is not an easy task because morals differ in every society. This briefly describes some of the characteristics of the Eskimos. This culture is far different than any stereotypical nuclear family in the United States. For example, the Eskimos practice polygamy and infanticide. To many Americans these two common practices among a different culture may seem extreme. On the other hand, Eskimos feel what they do is acceptable within their own culture. The author illustrates this example as a way to demonstrate the challenge of accepting cultural relativism As we all know, the United States is a complex system of many different cultures interacting at all times. Professionals working in the field of ethics must have a terrible time defining those absolutes in the U.S. where customs are variable. According to it, Cultural Relativism states that all morality is relative to culture, that the truth of ethical claims is relative to an individual or group's perspective. Cultural Relativism holds that an action is morally right or morally wrong because of the beliefs and values of the culture in which the action takes place. Therefore cultural relativism denies the possibility of any objective foundation for moral rules or obligations. In the sections 2.1 and 2.2 The author defines what Cultural Relativism is all about by giving us a glimpse of different cultural practices form more accepted funeral cremation by Greeks to barbaric (to us) flesh eating practice of Callatians to going against our institution of marriage Eskimo practices or polygamy and "wife swapping". The third section considers one argument in support of cultural relativism and then offers objections to that argument. She goes on setting up 6 claims of Cultural Relativism: 1. Different societies have different moral codes. 2. There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one societal code better than another. 3. The moral code of our own society has no special status; it is merely one among many. 4. There is no "universal truth" in ethics-that is, there are no moral truths that hold for all people at all times. 5. The moral code of a society determines what is right within that society; that is, if the moral code of a society says that a certain action is right, then that action is right, at least within that society. 6. It is mere arrogance for us to try to judge the conduct of other peoples. We should adopt an attitude of tolerance toward the practices of other cultures.With rules 4 and 5 more essential for Cultural Relativism definition then others. I feel cultural relativism should have a set universal moral code that everyone should follow because, even though a group might believe that something that could be illegal is morally acceptable, does not make it right even if a large group believes in it. There are right and wrongs in this world and people of this world should stick to them. 547 Different societies have different moral codes. There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one societal code better than another. The moral code of our own society has no special status. There is no “universal truth” in ethics that is, there are no moral truths that hold for all peoples at all times. Therefore there is no objective moral “truth”. Just a matter of opinion and opinion differs between cultures. Greeks and Callatians about death ceremonies. Eskimo and North American about infanticide.