Download Critique of Cultural Relativism and Emotivist Ethics in Moral Philosophy - Prof. Paul C. G and more Study notes Computer Science in PDF only on Docsity! CSI 3101 9/5/2006 1 Holmes: Chapters 2 & 3 Dr. Paul C. Grabow Baylor University 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow2 Reference Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions, Chapters 2 & 3 – Author: Arthur F. Holmes, professor emeritus of philosophy, Wheaton College – Series: Contours of Christian Philosophy, InterVarsity Press 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow3 Situations How should we answer these questions? – Is the pirating of software wrong? – Is it wrong to hack into a company computer? – Is it wrong to conduct surveillance of employees? CSI 3101 9/5/2006 2 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow4 Outline 1. Cultural Relativism a. A Definition b. The Diversity Thesis c. The Dependency Thesis d. Ethnocentrism e. A Response to Relativism 2. Emotivist Ethics a. A Definition b. The Emotivist’s Reasons c. An Appraisal 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow5 1. Cultural Relativism 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow6 Cultural Relativism: A Definition “… the view that moral beliefs and practices vary with and depend on the human needs and social conditions of particular cultures, so that no moral beliefs can be universally true. There can be no universal ‘oughts’ ” (p. 16) Example – okay in CountryX but wrong in CountryY because they are different cultures CSI 3101 9/5/2006 5 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow13 Dependency Thesis: a critique The fact that a culture influences the beliefs of its people does not, by itself, indicate whether those beliefs are morally right or wrong Example: gambling – may be unrestricted in a country, but that does not indicate that it is morally right (or wrong) – the moral issue is independent of the culture 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow14 Dependency Thesis: a critique If beliefs in general are culturally determined, then so is belief in the dependency thesis – e.g., it may be true in one culture but not in another – Therefore, the thesis is not universally true 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow15 Dependency Thesis: a critique, cont. Conclusions – The thesis is overstated if it claims that all moral beliefs are completely dependent on cultural conditions – If all moral beliefs were completely dependent on cultural conditions, then No society could have independently minded moral dissidents No prophets could arise to preach social justice CSI 3101 9/5/2006 6 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow16 Dependency Thesis: a critique, cont. What is at stake? – Freedom and determinism – i.e., whether we can transcend cultural influences on our beliefs using critical and imaginative thinking Classical views of freedom assume rational self- examination as a prerequisite to freedom from cultural influences – “It is hard to believe that even primitive cultures never engage in reflective self-scrutiny, or that their reflection in no way affects behavior patterns” (p. 19) 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow17 Ethnocentrism Some would claim – If you do not believe in relativism, then you are ethnocentric Consequently – Your intolerance is the issue Problems with this argument – I can defend universal norms without defending my own culture – The relativist cannot consistently reject all intolerance He must tolerate the intolerance of another Yet he has come out against intolerance 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow18 A Response to Relativism Diversity thesis and dependency thesis – Both appear irrelevant to truth (or falsity) of moral beliefs – Both are often overstated Consequently, the case for ethical relativism is weak at best CSI 3101 9/5/2006 7 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow19 Situations: Version 1 What would the cultural relativist say? – Is the pirating of software wrong? – Is it wrong to hack into a company computer? – Is it wrong to conduct surveillance of employees? 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow20 2. Emotivist Ethics 9/5/2006 Dr. Paul C. Grabow21 Emotivist Ethics: A Definition “… the view that moral language simply expresses and perhaps arouses emotion, so that nothing we say in moral terms is either true or false about anything.” (p. 23) Example: John’s moral beliefs are – nothing more than positive or negative attitudes
