Overview
This lecture introduces and critically examines cultural relativism, focusing on its claims, arguments, and philosophical implications, particularly through the works of Ruth Benedict, Rachels, and Bernard Williams.
Introduction to Cultural Relativism
- Cultural relativism argues that morality varies between societies and is shaped by social customs.
- No objective standard exists to judge different cultural moral codes; all standards are culture-bound.
- Examples: Greeks cremated the dead while the Clatians ate them; Inuits practiced infanticide for survival.
Key Claims of Cultural Relativism
- Different societies have different moral codes.
- A society’s moral code determines what is right in that society.
- No universal moral truths exist; right and wrong are cultural opinions.
- It is arrogant to judge other cultures’ morals; tolerance is encouraged.
- Criticizing one's own culture or moral progress is made difficult if relativism is true.
Critiques and Limits of Cultural Relativism
- Just because practices differ does not mean underlying values differ (e.g., both Greeks and Clatians valued honoring the dead).
- Some moral rules, such as caring for children or prohibiting murder, are universal due to societal necessity.
- Societies can be wrong in their moral beliefs, and reason may identify certain truths beyond culture.
Bernard Williams and Subjectivity
- Williams argues subjectivity (local context and culture) is often more valuable than objectivity for ethical life.
- Objective standards (like science) may not be useful for guiding human behavior or understanding the "good life."
- Concepts like truthfulness and integrity are historically and culturally contingent.
- Efforts to create a universal account of morality ignore the importance of cultural and historical context.
Ironism and Historicism
- Rorty’s ironism: we seek objectivity but can never escape our own cultural perspectives.
- Williams: We should accept and understand our contingent perspectives instead of longing for universal, "vindicatory" histories or absolute viewpoints.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Cultural Relativism — The view that moral codes and truths are determined by cultural context, and no objective standard exists.
- Objective Standard — A truth or rule valid independent of individual or cultural context.
- Subjectivity — Truths or standards dependent on the individual's or culture's context.
- Ironism — Rorty's idea that we desire objective standards but are always limited by subjective perspectives.
- Vindicatory History — An account of history that both past and present would agree is moral progress.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Read Williams’s excerpt for deeper understanding.
- Review textbook pages 14–31 on cultural relativism.