Cutural Relativism

Understanding moral differences and

identifying common grounds
 OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the students

should be able to:
Point out the issues in cultural relativism
and other morally relevant issues.
Express personal stance conveying the
problems that spring from cultural
relativism.
 The Two Opposing Views

List down 3 arguments from each of the

opposing views.
Weigh each argument and decide which
view is more appropriate, valid, and
logical as basis for moral decisions.
 Moral Relativism Defined..

Moral relativism is the view that ethical

standards, morality, and positions of
right or wrong are culturally based and
therefore subject to a person's
individual choice.
Hence, asserts there is no global,
absolute moral law that applies to all
people, for all time, and in all places.

Different cultures have different

moral codes. Thus, “universal truths
in Ethics are myths since, “moral
standards are culture-bound.”
Source: Standford of Encyclopedia of Philosophy
 Argume nt Agains t Cul t ural
Re lat i v ism

P1: Different cultures have different moral

codes
P2: A culture’s moral code is right or
correct relative to the people of that
culture.
Therefore: There are no such things as
universal moral standards or objective
truths in Ethics.
Relativism in and of itself is self-
defeating. Logically, there must be
some standard by which to compare
two different moral statements to
determine which is the “more
correct” one.
Moral relativists are also accused of
inconsistently claiming that there
are no universal moral norms while
appealing to a principle of tolerance
as a universal norm.
Note:

Cultural differences are real. But should

not be exaggerated.

There is always a “value” behind cultural

practices. Practices may vary and in
conflict to one another BUT the value
behind the practices remain constant,
thus, universally acceptable.
Ci te the VALUE for the
following cul t ural
practices
•Cremate the de ad •Bury the dead
•Male and female •No to circumcision
circumcision •No to corporate gif t
•Corporate gift giving
giving is a must
•Stay with the
family after
after mar riage
•Le ave the f amily marriage

http://all-that-is-interesting .com/7-bizarre-cultural-practices/7
 The Problem of Ate Josie ..

Ate Josie is a registered nurse assigned in the

Pediatric Ward in one of the premier hospitals
in New York City. Contrary to her profession,
her mother is a well-known “hilot” and an
advocate of natural and traditional medicines
in the Philippines. Ate Josie earned her
degree through a scholarship, though her
mother never objected in her academic
pursuits.
Being the eldest in the family, Ate Josie was
exposed to her mother’s traditional medicine
practices. Her mother taught her the skills of
“hilot” which she learned with so much
enthusiast as she wholeheartedly accepted
such“gift” without objection. Even then she
was in college, she practiced already “hilot”
and harnessed such skills and “gift” as she
studied her course. She appreciated the
traditional medicine more because of her
gained knowledge in her course.
Ate Josie was using a bottle of Vicks (in tin can)
to determine if a child has dislocations. She
would slide the tin can at the body parts and
when it stops, that is where she applies the
“hilot”. Many children in the community of Ate
Josie (in the Philippines) sought first her
traditional medicine before going to a doctor
for consultation. Many parents did not bother
to visit a doctor after the “hilot” because their
children found already the relief and eventually
got cured.
Being assigned at the Pediatric Ward in a
hospital with a western setting is “dilemmic” for
Ate Josie. Having 2 kids of her own, it is
agonising for her to witness kids suffer from the
rudiments of hospital SOPs upon admission.
She knew that kids’ sickness is not that serious
and easy relief could be achieved using her
knowledge in traditional medicine. She was
tempted several times, in fact many times, to
talk to the parents and offer her help, but she is
afraid to be accused of medical malpractice and
unprofessionalism.
Le t’s play role s…..

If you were the parent of the child, would you

allow a nurse to apply traditional medicine to
your child which comes with it an explanation
on how the procedure is done?
If you were Ate Josie, would you offer your
help risking no less your precious job?
If you were the doctor of the patient and
eventually the patient recovered quickly upon
the administration of “hilot” would you report
Ate Josie to the admin for malpractice and
unprofessionalism?
A medication from a professional
point of view and a medication from
the traditional point of view are both
grounded on a universally acceptable
value…
life preservation.
Thank you