Review article

ARE ETHICAL VALUES RELATIVE?

Maja Žitinski ; Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Dubrovnik

Abstract

Ethical relativists hold the view of the cultural origin of
moral values. Since all anthropological considerations refer to the
existence of cultural diversity, the relativist assumes no universal
ethical norms ever exist. The paper investigates how ethnocentrism
generates the belief of moral superiority not from the perfect
compatibility of particular moral norms with certain universal
code, but from the instilled respect for one’s own culture only, as if
moral values were arbitrarily invented. Although ethical relativism
might appear attractive due to its promotion of tolerance, ethical
relativism does not provide any firm stand to combat injustice or
immorality. Hence, cultural relativity should not be confused with
the relativity of egotistic behavior. The moral objectivism claims
that among the variety of moral rules some of them are not right.
In spite of the fact that what people think right varies in different
cultures, yet what actually is right is everywhere and always the
same. Thus, relativity in morals renders meaningless all attempts
of comparison between various moral standards in respect of their
moral worth. Since ethical relativism denies the possibility of moral
progress, it refers rather to moral ignorance, not moral truth.

Keywords

virtue; vice; ordinary reason; moral reason; relativism; universal standard

Hrčak ID:

26167

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/26167

Publication date:

23.6.2008.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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