Ethical Relativity and Ethical Absolutism

What if I say it is O.K. to Kill?

Should we believe everyone who says what they are doing is O.K. just because they think it is?

Ethical Relativism

Ethical relativity is the thesis that there is no single moral standard which is equally applicable to all people at all times. There is no single code or standard, there are many. When in Rome, one should do as the Romans do

Not Opinions, Facts

Relativists do not just mean people have different opinions about morals but that there is no single moral code. There is a difference between what people think and what is true. The relativist says there is no single truth.

Ethical Absolutism

When in Rome, one should do what one would do at home, regardless of what Romans do. Some behaviors are always wrong no matter wherever they are practised

Absolutists vs. Relativists

Absolutists think there is a single moral standard that is absolute and does not change, relativists think that there is no such standard. The relativist rejects the distinction between what is thought to be right and what is right she says there is no difference.

From IHRM viewpoint

Should Global organizations apply their values everywhere they do business? (Absolutism) Or they should consider different cultural values and local practices? (Relativism)

The Argument for Relativism

If there are different moral standards found everywhere none of these is the correct standard?? There are different standards found everywhere. Therefore none of these standards is the correct standard.

Response:

Just because there are different standards does not mean that no standard is correct. All that follows from the fact that there are different standards is that people have different opinions regarding morality, whether or not these opinions are right is a different question.

The First Argument for Absolutism:

If relativism is right, many things we believe are false. We believe what many Germans did under Hitler did was wrong, that some cultural rules are better than others (e.g. we should not eat people).

The Second Argument for Absolutism:

If relativism is true we can not even make comparisons between individuals in the same group. What is the group that we are evaluating if everyone has different standards? How can we tell what the norms of a community are even if we can define a group?

Can Everyone Really be Right?

Without a universal standard we can not compare cultures or criticize their members.