Subjective Relativism

“truth depends solely on what someone

believes”

Komla Damoin
 Subjective Relativism
• Goals, plans and minds function differently
while put in different situations
– Unplanned vs. Planned pregnancy
– Immigration laws (we all have different thoughts
on these)
– Wealthy families vs. Poor families (amount spent
has to be made accordingly to what one has)
 Subjective Relativism
• Minds and plans can easily be changed by a
bump in the road
– Deciding to have abortion or not caused by an
unplanned pregnancy
– An unexpected speeding ticket which means lots
of money on an attorney
 Subjective Relativism
• “Subjective relativism is the view that truth depends
solely on what someone believes -- a notion that may
make critical thinking look superfluous.” [1]
• “Subjective relativism has a logical problem -- it's
self-defeating. Its truth implies its falsity.” [1]
 Sexual Harassment
• “Unwelcome Behavior”[2]

• “Unwelcome sexual advances,

requests for sexual favors, and
other verbal or physical conduct
of a sexual nature” [2]

• “Such conduct has the purpose or

effect of unreasonably interfering
with an individual's work
performance or creating an
intimidating, hostile, or offensive
working environment.”[2]
 Sexual Harassment
Sexual Harassment includes many things such as:
• Actual or attempted rape or sexual assault [2]
• Undesired pressure for sexual favors [2]
• Undesired sexual looks or gestures [2]
• Undesired letters or calls [2]
• Sexual comments [2]
• Unwanted massages [2]
• Sexual gestures [2]
 Sexual Harassment
• Different types of sexual
harassments:
– Verbal
– Non-verbal
– Physical
 Verbal Sexual Harassment
• Includes:
– Referring to an adult as a
girl, hunk, doll, babe, or
honey [2]
– Sexual comments about
individual’s body/looks
[2]
– Sexual jokes [2]
Saying “Hey Baby” while not desired is an example of
– Talking about sexual verbal sexual harassment

fantasies [2]
 Non-Verbal Sexual Harassment
• Includes:
– Looking a person up and
down [2]
– Staring at the victim [2]
– Following the victim [2]
– Showing sexual gestures
and expressions[2]

He is staring at her, which is an example

of visual sexual harassment
 Physical Sexual Harassment
• Includes:
– Giving a massage
around the neck or
shoulders [2]
– Touching the person’s
clothing, hair, or body
[2]
– Touching or rubbing
oneself sexually around An unwanted shoulder massage is sexual
harassment

another person [2]

 Ethical Issues Relating to Sexual
Harassment Pros
• There are no pros to
sexual harassment,
because nothing good
comes out of being
sexually harassed
except for maybe
getting laws passed to
prevent a repetition of
such situation/s and the
fact that it is illegal
 Ethical Issues Relating to Sexual
Harassment Cons
• Rise in physical and
mental pain
• The victim can be
scarred for life
• Rise in fear of the
opposite sex
• Victim is taken
advantage of
 Ethical Analysis as it Relates to the
Blog Article
• Sexual harassment usually leads to career
failure from the offenders’ part.
Subjective analysis => of
• Society's perspective
• Company’s perspective
• Company’s downfall
• Victim’s perspective
 Ethical Analysis as it Relates to the
Blog Article
• Hewlett-Packard’s executive chief (Mark
Hurd) lost his job because of sexual
harassment
Subjective analysis => of
• It is not ethical to sexually harass anyone in anyway
• The victims
• Decline in the company’s stock value
• Media’s reaction
 Conclusion
• Ethics can be used to most cases to decide on
what is right or wrong, but not all cases
• The ethics in a paper or article depends on the
individual reading it and his/her judgment
• After such wrong actions are done, new laws
are written, to protect other individuals from
being victimized
• Sexual harassment in the workplace or
anywhere is unethical and immoral
 Sources
1. OXFORD University Press, Chapter Summary. Web. 11
Aug. 2010<
http://www.us.oup.com/us/companion.websites/0195161424
/studentresources/ch02/summary/?view=usa
>
2. United Nations, What is Sexual Harassment. Web. 11 Aug.
2010<
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/whatissh.pdf>
3. Margolis, Joseph Relativism. Wikipedia, 3 Dec. 2009. Web.
11 Dec. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativism >
4. Vance Ashlee, Boss’s Stumble May Also Trip Hewlett-
Packard, 8 Aug. 2010. Web. 11Aug. 2010 <
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/technology/09hp.html?
_r=2&ref=companies
>