Moral Relativism

First slideshow for a course on Environmental Ethics.

Transcript

1. On Ethical Relativism
   George Matthews
   CC 2017
   

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2. question of the day
   

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3. question of the day
   Is ethics just a matter of opinion?
   

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4. Should you care about endangered species . . .
   Toronto Star
   

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5. or hunt them for fun?
   Huffington Post
   

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6. Should you drive a hybrid . . .
   Grappone Toyota
   

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7. or roll coal?
   inverse.com
   

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8. Is climate change an urgent concern . . .
   Huffington Post
   

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9. or liberal fear-mongering?
   Grist
   

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10. Ethical Relativsm
    

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11. Ethical Relativsm
    claims
    

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12. Ethical Relativsm
    claims
    ! Value judgments are inherently subjective.
    

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13. Ethical Relativsm
    claims
    ! Value judgments are inherently subjective.
    ! Rationality is of limited use in resolving ethical
    conflicts.
    

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14. Ethical Relativsm
    claims
    ! Value judgments are inherently subjective.
    ! Rationality is of limited use in resolving ethical
    conflicts.
    ! Membership in a community determines our values.
    

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15. Ethical Relativsm
    claims
    ! Value judgments are inherently subjective.
    ! Rationality is of limited use in resolving ethical
    conflicts.
    ! Membership in a community determines our values.
    This is where our thinking about ethics begins
    . . . must it end there as well?
    

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16. The Standard Argument
    

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17. The Standard Argument
    Members of different groups make different value
    judgments, that’s what defines them as different
    groups.
    

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18. The Standard Argument
    Members of different groups make different value
    judgments, that’s what defines them as different
    groups.
    Thus no one group can claim to have the correct set
    of values.
    

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19. The Standard Argument
    Members of different groups make different value
    judgments, that’s what defines them as different
    groups.
    Thus no one group can claim to have the correct set
    of values.
    Does this even follow logically?
    

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20. Consequences
    

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21. Consequences
    If relativism is true . . .
    

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22. Consequences
    If relativism is true . . .
    ! There are no moral absolutes.
    

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23. Consequences
    If relativism is true . . .
    ! There are no moral absolutes.
    ! There is no condemning evil.
    

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24. Consequences
    If relativism is true . . .
    ! There are no moral absolutes.
    ! There is no condemning evil.
    ! Moral progress makes no sense.
    

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25. Problems
    

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26. Problems
    

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27. Problems
    ! Are communities as well defined as relativism needs
    them to be?
    

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28. Problems
    ! Are communities as well defined as relativism needs
    them to be?
    ! Don’t we also think for ourselves about what’s
    right?
    

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29. Problems
    ! Are communities as well defined as relativism needs
    them to be?
    ! Don’t we also think for ourselves about what’s
    right?
    ! We have different opinions about many things, but
    this does not entail a general lack of truth.
    

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30. Can one even be a relativist?
    

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31. Can one even be a relativist?
    

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32. Can one even be a relativist?
    ! Global skepticism is incoherent – we can’t claim to
    deny all knowledge without claiming to know
    something.
    

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33. Can one even be a relativist?
    ! Global skepticism is incoherent – we can’t claim to
    deny all knowledge without claiming to know
    something.
    ! Appeals to tolerance or the right to have an opinion
    are appeals to moral universals.
    

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34. Can one even be a relativist?
    ! Global skepticism is incoherent – we can’t claim to
    deny all knowledge without claiming to know
    something.
    ! Appeals to tolerance or the right to have an opinion
    are appeals to moral universals.
    ! We all belong to many groups that make conflicting
    moral demands on us.
    

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35. Common Ground?
    

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36. Common Ground?
    all cultures . . .
    

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37. Common Ground?
    all cultures . . .
    ! Honor the dead.
    

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38. Common Ground?
    all cultures . . .
    ! Honor the dead.
    ! Protect the group.
    

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39. Common Ground?
    all cultures . . .
    ! Honor the dead.
    ! Protect the group.
    ! Distinguish justified from unjustified homicide.
    

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40. Common Ground?
    all cultures . . .
    ! Honor the dead.
    ! Protect the group.
    ! Distinguish justified from unjustified homicide.
    ! Distribute of benefits and burdens according to
    rules.
    

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41. Common Ground?
    all cultures . . .
    ! Honor the dead.
    ! Protect the group.
    ! Distinguish justified from unjustified homicide.
    ! Distribute of benefits and burdens according to
    rules.
    How we implement these values is subject to
    debate, evaluation and revision.
    

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