Arguments of James Rachels-Cultural Relativism

Argument No. 1

“Cultural relativism argues that one's culture is different from the other since

different moral standards exist for each society.”

Each country has its own moral codes; we can't say others have wrong moral

code just because it doesn't align with our own convictions. It's just a matter of opinion

that differs from culture to culture like here in the Philippines we don't do the basis of the

First Name as we name people who are older than us with respect we call them "Ate,"

"Kuya," "Nanay," "Tatay," "Tito" and "Tita,", "Lolo" and "Lola". We, Filipinos have a high

level of respect for elders and upper-ranking officials and we often use "sir" or "madam"

in conversations while a five-year-old child in America can call a 60-year-old woman by

her name. Another difference is that people in Asian countries are more likely to eat

exotic foods such as fried insects, chicken and pork intestines, and much more. If

people from other countries go to the Philippines and see us eating exotic foods, some

may think it's gross because they're not used to it, they grow in a different environment

where they don't eat exotic foods similar to us. But we don't make judgments because

of Cultural Relativism, because we should try to understand other peoples ' cultural

practices within their own cultural context.

Argument No. 2
 “Since each culture has different moral codes, human beings should

respect and value each other's culture. We can't judge them, as we have different

beliefs.”

We all have our moral codes if other countries have different cultures then it is

okay since we also have practices that are different from them. Filipinos are known to

be conservative like in a manner of dressing, interacting with different kinds of people

and many more. While in some countries they are more liberated like the way they

dressed, they wore sexy clothing also it is normal in other country to make out in public

like kissing but here in the Philippines it is not so if some tourist do what they are used

to do in their country some Filipinos might say something about them but it is against

the law of cultural relativism we should not judge the culture of others, we must respect

them the way they respect us, they grew up in that kind of environment we grew up in

different environment we should be open-minded about our differences, we believe in

marriage before sex but in some countries, they are not so let them be, it is their belief

as long as they are not harming us it is okay. Who are we to judge? Another example is

Big Brother in European Countries it is seen on the national television that some of the

participants there are having sexual intercourse but again since they are in the liberated

country it is natural for them to do that it's no big deal in their country. As we grow older

we must realize that not of our practices are the same as others we should be matured

enough to accept those differences.

Argument No. 3
 “Even our own culture is no different under cultural relativism relative to the

others; it is just one among many.”

Our own belief is not the basis of what is right and wrong in society. We, people,

should not think that we are superior to other counties or they are wrong just because

they have a different practice to ours, just for example here in our country is that The

Philippines puts tremendous importance on family. The family still comes first to the

Filipinos in our country, the older members of the family are still treated as a vital part of

the family regardless of age our family like our parents and grandparents really took

care of us when we were a child, they provide everything that we need, they guide us to

everything that we do and by the time they got old and weak, it was our turn to look after

them and see to it that they got the love and affection they always deserved but this

practice is different from the other countries because some of the progressive countries

send their loved ones to into hospital or nursing homes, they just have to pay the

services of other people but it doesn't mean that they do not love their loved ones

anymore just because they send their family to home for the aged. It just shows that we

have different practices to others but it doesn't mean that we are doing the right thing

and they are not we still have the same goals but in a different way. They send their

loved ones to the said places not because they want to but they're too busy to look after

their old folks for the reason. That is their way and we should respect that. We can't say

absolutely what's right and what's wrong, because it all depends on the society we live

in.

Argument No. 4
 “In Ethics there is no “Universal Truth” since there are no moral truths for all the

people at all times, they vary in every culture.”

There is no right and the wrong that fits for all cultures it is just a matter of their

practices and those practices are different in each country or culture, for example,

abortion, abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy by terminating the fetus from the

uterus we can say that "abortion is illegal" since we value life. But the said statement

might not be accurate in some other countries since abortion is legal in their country like

in Canada, some of the European countries and many more. It just shows that different

places have different practices that there is no universal truth since it all varies on the

culture of different countries.