So, magandang araw sa ating lahat. Ngayon, pag-uusapan natin ang ethical relativism. So, alamin natin kung ano nga ba ulit ang tama at mali kahit medyo nakakasawa na.
Pero, let's try to dig deeper in this matter. Tulad nga na sinabi ko last meeting or last discussion, napakalaking bagay ng kultura sa atin dahil This is what we see in our humanity. Not only in the personal aspect, but in all of us as members of the community.
As Burke said in 2008, This is defined as the complex pool which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, moral, law, customs, and any other. capabilities and habits acquired by a man as a member of society. When we say acquired by man, it means that this is what we learn, this is what we are used to, that is culture. We know that knowledge, beliefs, belief, whatever art is for us, that is also part of culture. Moral, like I said, what is right and wrong is also a part of culture.
Whatever the law that we have, that's law, whatever the law that we have is not part of our culture. What are the customs, what are the beliefs that we believe that it's not part of the law but people still follow it, those are what we call customs. That is part of our culture, the traditions.
The elders said that this is forbidden, so we need to follow the customs. This is part of our culture. What other habits do we have that a person has acquired as a member of society? That is culture. Culture is also the totality of learning.
So socially transmitted customs, knowledge, material objects and behavior is almost similar with the last definition of culture but it is more general. How Schaeffer defined it in 2013. What are the functions of culture? First is it provides identity to the people in the society. When we say it provides identity, that is the recognition of a person in the community. This is what separates communal groups from each other.
The culture of Pangasinan is different, the culture of a Pangasinense is different, the culture of an Ilocano is different, the culture of a Cebuano is different, the culture of a Tagalog is different, the culture of a Cebuano is different, the culture of a Bisaya is different. What kind of group are they? The culture of Pangasinense or sometimes Irucano, that is our identity as a part of society. They are known by their distinct traditions and beliefs that they hold dear.
Because we will have different traditions. So that's it. We will have different identities. We can be different in our gender, we can be different in our culture.
For example, Singapore is surrounded by three major cultures, Chinese, Malaysian and Indian. In a small country, they have their own culture. And you will know what kind of people they are if you see the culture they practice.
So culture provides identity to the people in the society. Next is, culture mirrors the law of the land. Loss in one's society is born out of the norms which are socially acceptable. behavioral patterns in this in the community these norms are held with supreme importance and so the people make sure that they are systematized and followed by all going against this law are punishable in most if not all cases ito mas obvious to sa america dahil kada state ay merong binibigan authority or kapangyarihan na gumawa ng sarili nilang batas para lang sa kanilang for their state.
For example, California will make this law for itself. Let's say California legalizes the usage of recreational marijuana while other states does not. Okay?
What if the culture of California is that that marijuana is legal in their state. For them, it is right. While some other states does not recognize the legality of recreational marijuana. This is what is affecting our culture. Culture affects the laws of a place.
For example, here in the Philippines, We have laws that we impose on each person's culture. We must recognize the old places, the heritage sites. We must not just demolish or renovate the heritage sites. Why? Because it's our culture to preserve.
The King King Kultura is part of our culture to preserve these heritage sites. Then therefore, we have a law preserving the heritage sites. Then therefore, it's a part of our culture. This culture unifies people in many ways that only those who belong in the society understands.
They say culture includes language. Then therefore, culture... unifies people in many ways that only people who belong in that society understands.
For example, the language, Pangasinan. Of course, only those who are from Pangasinan can understand it. Because that's their culture.
Only those who are from Ilocano can understand it. That's their culture. It unifies them as one. For example, you go to Manila and then... If you hear someone saying that they have an Ilocano accent or Pangasinan accent, you will immediately notice that they are from Pangasinan.
You will say, that's how they are from Pangasinan. The same goes for the OFWs in other countries. How will they react if they hear a Filipino accent? They are in a different country. That's a big deal for them because they know a Filipino in a different country.
It is always that the communal group invokes in matter of decisions, practices, and traditions. So, that's it. Next is, culture influences our concept of morality.
This is what I'm saying. It's the culture that influences a group. How they define what is right and wrong.
Culture provides rules of the games in the society through our cultural norms. It is very much prescriptive of what is morally right or what is wrong, what is respectful and what is not, affecting our patterns of behavior. It is the culture that molds, if not dictates, the values that should be adhered to the people.
It depends on the culture what is right and what is wrong for them. That is where cultural relativism comes in. It is the view of the moral beliefs and practice varying with and and depend. on the human needs and social conditions of particular cultures, said Holmes in 2007. The definition is entirely based on premise that there can be no universal odds.
Walang universal na tama at mali. And there is no culture that can be basis of all that is good and true. Walang isang kultura ang magiging basihan dapat. Kung ano nga bang tama at tama para sa lahat ng tao. Culture is not, once culture is not applicable universally, it is a...
applicable to only one culture. It is important to recognize the vitality of cultural differences since ethical judgments are relative to cultural concepts. We can see that the differences in our culture are subject to ethical judgments.
But there is no universal oughts. There is no general right or wrong. All of that depends on culture.
So we need to understand the cultural differences that we are talking about. And therefore, cultural relativism should be understood as a celebration and appreciation of cultural diversity. It means that we should appreciate the differences in our culture. Let's celebrate the diversity of our culture.
That's what the cultural relativism intends to do. According to Kellen Berger in 2011. This diversity could be manifested in the way we dress, the way we talk to the elderly, and even in our beliefs in the supernatural. Even on how the way we eat, on how we cook the food.
For example, the way we cook food is different. They cook adobo in this place, they cook lechon in this place, they cook lechon in this place. Their way of thinking is different.
Their way of addressing the elders is different. Let's say for instance in Pangasinan Ilocano, we don't really use po and opo in general. However, how can we show that we are being respectful to the elderly? We call them ante, we call them manang, we call them manong, and so on and so forth. And that depends on our culture.
Even though we don't use po and opo in Pangasinan and Ilocano, we can still show respect to the elderly. It is important to underscore as well the important historical role of cultural relativism. and encouraging cross-cultural understanding and contributing to an expansion of human freedom. This is where ethical relativism or moral relativism comes in.
Meaning that it holds distinct system of morality and that there are no objective and trans-cultural criteria for judging between these different systems. Ethical and moral values and beliefs are relative to the various individuals or societies that hold them. There is no objective right and wrong.
So there are forms of ethical relativism. The meaning is wrong again. We have different forms of ethical relativism.
We have the personal, individual, and social or cultural. When we say personal, our ethical judgement on how we believe what is right or wrong, we are looking into the attitude of an individual person. We don't judge someone based on his or her culture.
We judge someone being him or her, right or wrong. as to his or her individual aspect. When is he an individual person?
It also says in the personal, there is no objective standard of right and wrong inasmuch as the individual persists the basis of the moral judgment. Right? Any person has no right to say that others are correct or incorrect. It says here. Ethical relativists also say that in terms of personal or individual, that they have their own view and you also have your own view.
and none of us is right or none of us is right. In the social, it says that ethical bias is very from society to society. The basis of moral judgment lies in the social or cultural views.
It says here that in social ethical relativism, there is no... society better than any other transcultural sense. Almost the same with personal but we are talking about social or cultural as a group of persons okay and no society has the right to say that a particular culture of a certain society is wrong. There is no right for a Christian to say that what a Muslim does is wrong. Because that's their culture.
What are the possible reasons why we support ethical relativism? First is we have the diversity of moral values. We have a different culture, therefore we have a different way of identifying what is right and what is wrong. Second is moral uncertainty.
Because nowadays, it's hard to know what is right and what is wrong. or the right belief. That's why we just support ethical relativism. Let's just support different cultures. Let's just enjoy their...
Let's just enjoy their... What do we call this? The cultural diversity. We just enjoy their culture.
We just appreciate it. That's all we do. Situation differences. Then, therefore, different culture also situates different... situation.
Situations and life of different people vary so much. And what are the strengths and weaknesses of the cultural relativism? Strength, let's go first with the strength on how we judge what is morally right or wrong.
It should be judged on cultural context. The cultural people becomes the final arbiter of the morality of an individwala. The idea of to each his own exemplifies this concept.
However, there's a weakness on that part that cultural relativism falls prey into the idea that universal standards do not exist. and cannot be culturally compromised. Human rights precede societal practices, particularly those that impede our growth as individuals and as human beings at school. Cultural relativism is not tenable in ethics since ethical values invoke universal absolutes, which it categorically dismisses.
Ang weakness ng cultural relativism ay yung There will be universal standards that don't exist. Sometimes we think this is right, this is right, and it came to the point that you argued with the other person who has a different culture, who has a different belief of what is right or wrong. What you believe is right is what you think is the universal standard of what is right and wrong. Okay? That is usually a weakness.
Another strength is Cultural relativism is the answer to cultural annihilation. If one culture is to be the final basis of morality, then it would stimulate, if not encourage, the annihilation of all other cultures, which are considered inferior to it. It is not just about the lack of culture. If the culture is our basis, then it is not right. As long as there is the concept of what...
is right or wrong within our culture our culture will not be easily gone. But this weakness, if there are no universal standards, then therefore there is no morality. There is no right or wrong.
The concept of what is morally right and wrong fades into the background of cultural relativism. As such, people who invoke cultural relativism are free to do whatever they want. For instance, your culture is a liberated culture.
You are free whatever you want. And no one can stop you. Another strength is it promotes multiculturalism. Then therefore if we promote multiculturalism, then that means we appreciate other cultures. We appreciate on what belief that they have.
We appreciate the distinctiveness of culture which is supposed to be celebrated and not looked down by the... people okay however another weakness here is it gives birth to ethical relativism which wears away from the idea that there are objective moral standards with these people are ethically wrong by all standards except by their culture can invoke cultural relativism to justify their act sometimes we we use uh we use the culture to justify what's our action Let's say for instance that on table etiquette, we say in the Philippines, we often eat with our hands, and our feet are up, while some others here in our country are not used to seeing such things like that. They consider that as a, you know, a dirty thing or not proper for eating.
Because, you know, we are... We are also made to follow table ethics as we say, to use proper utensils, to hold, how to hold a spoon and fork, and how to use the spoon and fork. However, if you're a Pinoy, you're a Pinoy while eating, it's a part of our culture and you don't need to question that. That's where I grew up, that's where I got my experience.
If we invoke cultural relativism, then we refrain ourselves from criticizing other cultures, no matter how evil some of their practices. For example, the Holocaust became legal in Germany. They were able to justify the action, the pro-Nazi culture before in Germany.
Some people are justifying their acts. Then they are poor. If there is cultural relativism, let's not just put together the wrong practices.
Let's say for instance in the practice of Muslims, some of the minors are getting married. And for us Christians, sometimes it is not acceptable to do that. No matter how able, can you just let them be? No.
That's one of the weakness of the cultural relativism. We also have what we call cultural tolerance. Cultural relativism should result or it should go to cultural tolerance to preserve the diversity of all people regardless of the culture we have. But Even if we encourage cultural tolerance, we should just let them do what they do because it's their practice.
Although there is cultural tolerance, it doesn't mean that we compromise the universal rights of the person. We don't compromise the human rights. For example, a 13-year-old kid was brought up to 40 years old. What is the right that a 13-year-old child has?
That he has no right to have a good education, to have a happy life as a child. He skipped a part of his life that we cannot skip, the time we studied, the time we are with our friends. And even if there is cultural tolerance, we must not look away with those universal rights that we are talking about.
A particular culture cannot invoke cultural relativism at all times. Let's remember that. It doesn't mean that they are doing this, they have their culture like this. But we must look into it.
What is it that is missing? What can be passed on to that person? Let's say if they were assigned early age. And we also have, aside from cultural tolerance, we should have the cultural sensitivity.
You know, it is the key to cultural tolerance. We must be aware that cultural differences and similarities between people exist without assigning them a value, positive or negative, better or worse, right or wrong. When we say cultural sensitivity, you know, we recognize the rights of a certain person that are aggrieved with that kind of culture. However, you know, we must be sensitive enough to talk about it. You can't just go and attack a certain culture.
You need to be sensitive enough to attack the culture. And if we are going to criticize one's act, whether it's moral or not, we will criticize that action. Let's not attack the society as a whole. Their society as a whole.
That's what's happening. Because, some people believe that when they see a Muslim, they have a bomb. Because we are stereotyping Muslims or Islams that they are terrorists. Then we must be sensitive enough to... to know about this.
Yes, there are some people, there are some Muslims that are terrorists. But let us not generalize all Muslims that they are all terrorists. Black people are discriminated against in the United States because of their color. There are those kinds of actions.
For example, Muslims. Do not attack Muslims because of their actions that allow minors to get married. Do not attack them as a pedophile as a whole.
We must be sensitive enough to criticize different cultures. Do not attack them generally, but attack that certain action. That's what we should criticize.
So that's the end of my slide. It's just a short discussion and I hope I've given you a better understanding of the relationship of culture and understanding what is right or wrong. Thank you everyone and have a nice day.