Ethics - Absolutism & Relativism

Normative ethics arrive at moral standards which tell us right wrong, good from bad à ethical theories. Decide on how ought to act, how moral choices to be made, what rules are + how apply.

Ethical absolute: moral command true for all time, places & situations. 

Wrong from objective view, not from certain perspectives.

Right or wrong things cannot change, regardless of culture

Some actions intrinsically wrong à in themselves, not result of situation or consequence of action à act breaks moral rule.

Eternal moral values/rules application everywhere
à theists = God establishes moral order in univ.

Deontological; concerned with nature of act itself (intrinsic)

Plato: ethical absolutist

Goodness/justice really exist in some way in a world beyond normal perception.

Other world contains forms/ideas à true reality

What we perceive with sense = mere shadow of reality

W/o form of beauty e.g., no beautiful things

Many have absolutist positions à see moral laws/absolutes as coming directly from God.

Christians believe hierarchy of absolutes à graded absolutism

If conflict, obey higher one.
Duty to God first, then others, then property 

For atheists, origin or source of moral absolutes seem a priori in nature somehow

No universally valid moral principles

Relative to particular cultures/ages

No such thing as ‘good in itself’

No objective basis for us to discover truth

Truth = no meaning; morality depends on community to which one belongs, or one’s own perspective (subjectivity)

Teleological: concerned with ends or consequences of actions
Action not good in itself, but b/c of result

Diff cultures, diff moral codes of conduct

Ancient observer of cultural diversity: King Darius
à certain Greeks burnt bodies of father, some ate à pay to adopt each others practices = outraged; t/f, what right for one, wrong for another

Protagoras  à humanity decides what is right/wrong

Aristotle & Plato against this

 Moral judgements made in diff cultures, orgs + religions

William Graham Sumner: right way is traditional way used by ancestors

Moral rules expressions of culture

Celebrates variety of beliefs + values held by diff people

J.L Mackie: no obj values à existence of diverse ethical values expressed in diff times & cultures = evidence no moral absolutes exist.

 What is actually right/wrong, not cultural diversity

Hold 1 absolute principle: wrong to impose absolute moral rules
Utilitarianism + Situation Ethics e.g.
Happiness + love are absolutes

Joseph Fletcher à each individual situation diff + absolute rules too demanding/restrictive 

Not poss to know what God’s will is in every situation

T/f, bc of this, love/agape only moral rule

+ Easy to understand/update (modern issues)

+ Flexible

+ Focus on humans & concern for others

+ Allows responsibility for actions

-      -  Too flexible (anything goes)

-       - Pope 1952 condemned it b/c went against Bible

-     -   Very difficult to work out consequences in order to know what most loving thing would be

-       - What action would be taken if most loving thing would harm another?

Strengths of Absolutism:

•  Clear, fixed moral code
• Allows cultures judging others (condemning FGM)
• Allows one cultures judgement to enable another to grow/change/learn
• Reinforces global view of humanity
• UN Declaration of HR (e.g) 

Weaknesses:

• Circumstances?
• Intolerant of other cultural practices
• Restrictive, blunt
• How do we really know what absolutes are?

Relativism Strengths:

•    Flexible
•    Situational/circumstances
•    Adaptable
•   Prompts deeper/respectful understanding of other cultures
•   Individual/personal

Weaknesses:

• Too broad
• Anything acceptable
• Diff views don’t mean equal
• Cant evaluate practices such as FGM, child sacrifice
• Doesn’t allow cultures to change/progress

Strength of Teleological ethics:

• Flexible, personal, individual, takes into acc broad pic

Weaknesses:

• Too individual, cant make laws/rules that apply to all
• Don’t necessarily know what outcome would be
• Entirely theoretical/impractical

Strengths of Deontological ethics: 

• Clear, str8frwrd
• Applies to all
• Easier for policy matters e.g. sexual child abuse, deontological: wrong, full stop – teleological: acc to circumstance

Weaknesses:

• Individual circumstances?
• Impersonal