Relativism and its Impact on Critical Thinking

 
Standards and
Obstacles to
Critical Thinking
 
PART 3
 
Obstacle to Critical Thinking:
Relativism
 
Relativism is a 
theory about the nature of truth
. This theory holds
that…
There is no such thing as “objective” truth, only opinions which differ
from person to person or society to society.
No opinion is objectively superior to, or inferior to, any other opinion.
All opinions are equally “true” relative to the speaker.
Relativism is a serious 
Obstacle to Critical Thinking 
and should be
avoided.
 
Relativism vs. Relativity
 
Clearly, there are appropriate and rational grounds for employing
the concept of 
relativity
 in the pursuit of truth.
 
EXAMPLE: Whether an object is to one’s left or right is relative to ones
position.
 
EXAMPLE: Whether a person is “tall” or “short” is relative to the
comparison group. For example, a person who is 5’11” may appear tall
in one country (e.g. Sri Lanka), but somewhat average in another (e.g.
Slovenia).
 
EXAMPLE: We can often better understand and empathize with others
when we grasp and respect the importance of contingent perspectives.
 
 
Global Relativism
 
Global relativism is the view that the truth of all claims (even
descriptive and conceptual claims) are relative. This view is
vulnerable to the charge of self-referential inconsistency.
Suppose one were to believe that “all claims are relative.”
But if this is so, then the claim that “all claims are relative,” is itself
relative.
Thus, one cannot consistently assert this claim is true, without also
acknowledging that it is not true in any objective sense.
 
Values Relativism
 
Though some thinkers have embraced the notion of global
relativism, the most commonly held views of relativism pertain to
values:
Aesthetic Relativism
: Aesthetics is the discipline that considers issues of
beauty and artistic taste.  This view is sometimes expressed by the idiom,
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
Moral Relativism
: Ethics is the discipline that considers issues of morality
and what constitutes right or wrong behavior. This view is sometimes
expressed by the idioms, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” or
“What’s morally true for you may not be what’s morally true for me.”
 
Moral Relativism
 
There are two primary forms of Moral Relativism:
Subjectivism (Subjective Relativism): This view asserts that moral claims
are only “true” or “false” relative to a subject (or speaker).
Moral beliefs under this view are analogous to differences in taste or
preference.
Under this view, one and the same claim may be “true” for one person and
“false” for another.
Cultural Relativism (Conventional Relativism): This view asserts that moral
claims  are only “true” or “false” relative to a particular culture (or
society).
 
The Case for Moral Relativism
 
The Argument Against Objective Ethics:
 
1.
If there were any such thing as objective truth in ethics, we should be
able to prove that some moral opinions are true and others are false.
 
2.
But in fact we cannot prove which moral opinions are true and which
are false.
 
3.
Therefore, there is no such thing as objective truth in ethics.
 
(Note: This argument represents a barrier to critical thinking)
 
 
No Proof in Ethics or Morality?
 
Some Options in response to the Argument Against Objective Ethics:
1.
There are moral facts, in the same way that there are facts about the
stars and planets. (Probably not a viable positon, as qualities of
“right” and “wrong” are not empirically observable.)
 
2.
Our values are nothing more than the expression of our subjective
feelings. (This the Moral Subjectivist position.)
 
3.
Moral truths are truths of reason; that is, a moral judgment is true if it is
backed by better (i.e. relevant and accurate) reasons than the
alternatives. (this is how a Critical Thinker addresses moral issues.)
 
Is there no way to distinguish between
better and worse moral beliefs?
 
Suppose Mary, Arthur, and Beatrice each believe the following
claim: “It is wrong to steal candy.” Now consider their 
reasons
 (the
claim following “because”) in support of this claim.
Mary
: Stealing candy is wrong 
because 
every time we steal, a child in
Australia goes blind.
Arthur
: Stealing candy is wrong 
because
 
oysters live in salt water
.
Beatrice
: Stealing candy is wrong because 
stealing harms the owner of
the 7-11 franchise and this causes the owner to raise prices for all
customers
.
Do Mary, Arthur, and Beatrice have equally good reasons to believe
that it is wrong to steal candy?
 
Standards for evaluating Moral
claims:
 
In the previous example, Mary, Arthur and Beatrice each gave a
reason for why they believe stealing candy is wrong.
Mary’s reason was clearly relevant, although it was inaccurate.
If her claim was true, that would certainly provide powerful support for the
belief that stealing candy is wrong, as it would greatly harm peoples’
interests.
However, her claim is clearly untrue, as otherwise, we’d expect the entire
population of Australian children to be blind (which it is not).
Arthur's reason was clearly true, although it was entirely irrelevant.
Even though we can confirm that oysters live in saltwater, this makes no
difference whatsoever as to whether stealing candy is either right or wrong.
Beatrice’s reasons are both 
relevant
 and 
accurate
, making her believe
that stealing candy is wrong a 
reasonable belief
.
 
Moral Subjectivism
 
Subjectivism denies that moral claims are objectively “true” or “false.”
Instead, they translate moral claims into statements of personal
approval or disapproval.
 
When a person says this:
    
What they really mean is this:
 
“X is morally acceptable”
“X is right or good”
     
 
 
“I (speaker) approve of X”
“X ought to be done”
“X is morally unacceptable”
“X is wrong or bad”
      
“I (speaker) disapprove of X
“X ought not to be done”
   
 
Problems with Moral Subjectivism
 
1.
If subjectivism is correct, then changing your moral
beliefs could never be rationally justified. After all, no
reason could make a moral belief better or more true
than another.
 
2.
Nearly everyone has, at some time, changed their belief
on some moral matter for some identifiable reason.
 
3.
Therefore, no one who accepts that a change in moral
belief is reasonable can consistently maintain a
subjectivist position.
 
Problems with Moral Subjectivism
 
Consider the belief, “There’s nothing wrong with stealing candy,”
and then 
translate this claim
 in terms of Simple Subjectivism
“There is nothing wrong with stealing candy.” = “I (the speaker) approve
of stealing candy.”
Now suppose the person abandons this belief, claiming instead that,
“Stealing Candy is wrong.”
What could explain this change of heart?
What implications follow from adopting the 
subjectivist
 view?
How are these implications problematic for this theory?
 
Problems with Moral Subjectivism
 
Suppose person X believes that, “stealing candy is unjust,” and
person Y believes that, “stealing candy is just.”
Now, suppose Person X is a 
moral subjectivist
.
What reason could X give to persuade Y that “stealing candy is
unjust?”
Does this question even make sense in the logic of moral subjectivism?
What difficulty does this pose for the theory of moral subjectivism?
 
Problems with Moral Subjectivism
 
 
1.
If moral subjectivism is correct, then no moral opinion can be objectively more
rational or better informed than any other moral opinion.
 
2.
This would mean that opinions based on irrelevant reasons are equally
rational as beliefs based on relevant reasons
. (e.g. “Stealing is wrong because
it harms people’s interests,” and “Stealing is wrong because oysters live in
saltwater,” are equally justified positions.)
 
3.
This would mean also that opinions based on false reasons are equally
rational as beliefs based on true reasons
. (e.g. “Torturing babies is wrong
because babies suffer,” and “torturing babies is okay because babies feel no
pain,” are equally rational positions.)
 
4.
Premises 2 and 3 above are untenable.
 
5.
So, Subjectivism is not a rational position.
 
Problems with Moral Subjectivism
 
If moral beliefs are merely subjective opinions or statements of
personal approval, then…
A person could never provide reasons to justify their beliefs.
A person could never provide reasons for others to adopt a belief.
There would be no rational grounds for ever changing one’s mind.
If one were to change their mind, there would be no rational grounds
for believing their revised belief was either better or worse than their
previous belief.
People would be infallible in matters of morality. That is, one could never
be mistaken in asserting a moral belief.
 
Cultural Relativism
 
Unlike Moral Subjectivism, which claims moral truth is relative to the
individual speaker, Cultural Relativism clams that moral truth is
relative to a particular Culture or Socieity.
The primary features of Cultural Relativism include:
Different societies have different moral codes (descriptive assumption)
There is no objective standard for believing one societal code is better than another.
The moral code of our own society has no special status; it is merely one among many.
There is no “universal truth” in ethics; that is there are no moral truths that hold for all
people at all times.
The moral code of a society determines what is “right” or “wrong” within that society;
It is mere arrogance for us to judge the conduct of other peoples.
 
 
Cultural Relativism
 
The Argument For Cultural Relativism:  The “Cultural Differences
Argument”
 
1.
Different cultures have different moral codes. (descriptive
relativism)
2.
Therefore, there is no objective “truth”  in morality.  Right and
wrong are only matters of opinion, and opinions vary from culture
to culture.
 
(Note: This argument represents a barrier to critical thinking)
 
Cultural Relativism:  Moral vs.
Descriptive Relativism
 
Descriptive relativism:
Claims as 
a matter of fact 
that different cultures have different
moral values. (Note: Though there are disagreements on details,
descriptive relativism is not controversial, nor a problem for critical
thinking.)
Cultural relativism:
Claims that each culture is right unto itself. Cultural relativists insist
that the meaning of “good,” “bad,” “wrong,” “right,” and the like,
defined by the community or culture within which they are used.
 
 
Descriptive Relativism
 
Descriptive Relativism claims that different cultural groups have
different moral beliefs and norms of behavior. Some of the
disciplines that provide evidential support for descriptive relativism
include:
Cultural Anthropology
Sociology
Group, Cultural, and Organizational Psychology
History
Humanities, Literature, Art, Philosophy, etc.
 
Descriptive Relativism: Some
Challenges
 
How does one define a “culture” or “society?”
Most cultures are complex and contain innumerable sub-groups with
cultural norms distinct from each other or with the majority culture.
Most cultures (especially in the modern era of global transportation and
communications) are deeply integrated or otherwise overlap with
different cultures.
Some cultural groups have no geographical or governmental borders.
Members of a diaspora, for example, may share common values or
norms while being separated and dispersed among, and integrated
within, many distinct societies.
Many, if not most, people personally identify with more than one distinct
culture.
 
The Case for Cultural Relativism
 
The Argument For Cultural Relativism:  The “Cultural Differences
Argument”
 
Different cultures have different moral codes (descriptive relativism)
 
Therefore, there is no objective “truth”  in morality.  Right and wrong
are only matters of opinion, and opinions vary from culture to
culture.
 
(Note: This argument represents a barrier to critical thinking)
 
Basic claims of Cultural Relativism
 
1.
Different societies have different moral codes (descriptive claim)
 
2.
There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one societal code better than
another.
 
3.
The moral code of our own society has no special status; it is merely one among many.
 
4.
There is no “universal truth” in ethics; that is there are no moral truths that hold for all people at
all times.
 
5.
The moral code of a society determines what is right within that society; that is, if the moral
code of a society says that a certain action is right, then that action is right, at least within that
society.
 
6.
It is mere arrogance (group bias) for us to judge the conduct of other peoples.
 
Problems with Cultural Relativism
 
Cultural Relativism imposes a 
logical inconsistency 
on its
proponents.
Cultural Relativists hold that the beliefs of their own culture is not
objectively better or worse than any other culture. No culture’s beliefs
are superior or inferior to another’s.
Cultural Relativists believe that what is “morally right or true” for a person
is whatever their culture says is morally right or true.
Some cultures condemn the moral beliefs and practices of other
cultures, claiming the other culture is inferior.
So, a Cultural relativist living in such a culture would have to believe
both…
That 
their culture is right to condemn the moral beliefs of another culture
(because this is what their culture says is right to believe).
That 
their culture is wrong to condemn the moral beliefs of another culture
(because this is what one must believe as a cultural relativist).
 
If Cultural Relativism is true…
 
We could no longer say that the customs of other societies are inferior (nor superior) to our own.
 
We could decide whether actions are right or wrong by consulting the standards of our society.
(Relativism shares this characteristic with sociocentric absolutism.)
 
The idea of moral progress is deemed impossible.
 
The possibility of a pluralist society is undermined. Cultural Relativism offers no standard for
dealing with conflicts between cultures - precisely where resolution of conflict is most urgently
needed.
 
The standard of moral proof becomes “might makes right.”  Only the dominant culture may
successfully determine moral truth for the entire culture. Morality, in this case, is determined by
the ability to maintain political power.
 
Commerce and trade (e.g. within Multinational corporations) that employs controversial
methods such as sweat shops, slave labor, race and gender discrimination, or environmental
destruction could not be morally criticized.
Slide Note
Embed
Share

Relativism poses a challenge to critical thinking by asserting that truth is subjective and varies from person to person or society to society. While some forms of relativism, like relativity, can be rational, global relativism faces self-referential inconsistency. Values relativism is commonly applied to aesthetics and morality, with moral relativism encompassing subjective and cultural perspectives.

  • Relativism
  • Critical Thinking
  • Truth
  • Morality
  • Ethics

Uploaded on Apr 03, 2024 | 0 Views


Download Presentation

Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.

The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. Download presentation by click this link. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Standards and Obstacles to Critical Thinking PART 3

  2. Obstacle to Critical Thinking: Relativism Relativism is a theory about the nature of truth. This theory holds that There is no such thing as objective truth, only opinions which differ from person to person or society to society. No opinion is objectively superior to, or inferior to, any other opinion. All opinions are equally true relative to the speaker. Relativism is a serious Obstacle to Critical Thinking and should be avoided.

  3. Relativism vs. Relativity Clearly, there are appropriate and rational grounds for employing the concept of relativity in the pursuit of truth. EXAMPLE: Whether an object is to one s left or right is relative to ones position. EXAMPLE: Whether a person is tall or short is relative to the comparison group. For example, a person who is 5 11 may appear tall in one country (e.g. Sri Lanka), but somewhat average in another (e.g. Slovenia). EXAMPLE: We can often better understand and empathize with others when we grasp and respect the importance of contingent perspectives.

  4. Global Relativism Global relativism is the view that the truth of all claims (even descriptive and conceptual claims) are relative. This view is vulnerable to the charge of self-referential inconsistency. Suppose one were to believe that all claims are relative. But if this is so, then the claim that all claims are relative, is itself relative. Thus, one cannot consistently assert this claim is true, without also acknowledging that it is not true in any objective sense.

  5. Values Relativism Though some thinkers have embraced the notion of global relativism, the most commonly held views of relativism pertain to values: Aesthetic Relativism: Aesthetics is the discipline that considers issues of beauty and artistic taste. This view is sometimes expressed by the idiom, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Moral Relativism: Ethics is the discipline that considers issues of morality and what constitutes right or wrong behavior. This view is sometimes expressed by the idioms, When in Rome, do as the Romans do, or What s morally true for you may not be what s morally true for me.

  6. Moral Relativism There are two primary forms of Moral Relativism: Subjectivism (Subjective Relativism): This view asserts that moral claims are only true or false relative to a subject (or speaker). Moral beliefs under this view are analogous to differences in taste or preference. Under this view, one and the same claim may be true for one person and false for another. Cultural Relativism (Conventional Relativism): This view asserts that moral claims are only true or false relative to a particular culture (or society).

  7. The Case for Moral Relativism The Argument Against Objective Ethics: If there were any such thing as objective truth in ethics, we should be able to prove that some moral opinions are true and others are false. 1. But in fact we cannot prove which moral opinions are true and which are false. 2. Therefore, there is no such thing as objective truth in ethics. 3. (Note: This argument represents a barrier to critical thinking)

  8. No Proof in Ethics or Morality? Some Options in response to the Argument Against Objective Ethics: There are moral facts, in the same way that there are facts about the stars and planets. (Probably not a viable positon, as qualities of right and wrong are not empirically observable.) 1. Our values are nothing more than the expression of our subjective feelings. (This the Moral Subjectivist position.) 2. Moral truths are truths of reason; that is, a moral judgment is true if it is backed by better (i.e. relevant and accurate) reasons than the alternatives. (this is how a Critical Thinker addresses moral issues.) 3.

  9. Is there no way to distinguish between better and worse moral beliefs? Suppose Mary, Arthur, and Beatrice each believe the following claim: It is wrong to steal candy. Now consider their reasons (the claim following because ) in support of this claim. Mary: Stealing candy is wrong because every time we steal, a child in Australia goes blind. Arthur: Stealing candy is wrong because oysters live in salt water. Beatrice: Stealing candy is wrong because stealing harms the owner of the 7-11 franchise and this causes the owner to raise prices for all customers. Do Mary, Arthur, and Beatrice have equally good reasons to believe that it is wrong to steal candy?

  10. Standards for evaluating Moral claims: In the previous example, Mary, Arthur and Beatrice each gave a reason for why they believe stealing candy is wrong. Mary s reason was clearly relevant, although it was inaccurate. If her claim was true, that would certainly provide powerful support for the belief that stealing candy is wrong, as it would greatly harm peoples interests. However, her claim is clearly untrue, as otherwise, we d expect the entire population of Australian children to be blind (which it is not). Arthur's reason was clearly true, although it was entirely irrelevant. Even though we can confirm that oysters live in saltwater, this makes no difference whatsoever as to whether stealing candy is either right or wrong. Beatrice s reasons are both relevant and accurate, making her believe that stealing candy is wrong a reasonable belief.

  11. Moral Subjectivism Subjectivism denies that moral claims are objectively true or false. Instead, they translate moral claims into statements of personal approval or disapproval. When a person says this: What they really mean is this: X is morally acceptable X is right or good X ought to be done I (speaker) approve of X X is morally unacceptable X is wrong or bad X ought not to be done I (speaker) disapprove of X

  12. Problems with Moral Subjectivism If subjectivism is correct, then changing your moral beliefs could never be rationally justified. After all, no reason could make a moral belief better or more true than another. 1. Nearly everyone has, at some time, changed their belief on some moral matter for some identifiable reason. 2. Therefore, no one who accepts that a change in moral belief is reasonable can consistently maintain a subjectivist position. 3.

  13. Problems with Moral Subjectivism Consider the belief, There s nothing wrong with stealing candy, and then translate this claim in terms of Simple Subjectivism There is nothing wrong with stealing candy. = I (the speaker) approve of stealing candy. Now suppose the person abandons this belief, claiming instead that, Stealing Candy is wrong. What could explain this change of heart? What implications follow from adopting the subjectivist view? How are these implications problematic for this theory?

  14. Problems with Moral Subjectivism Suppose person X believes that, stealing candy is unjust, and person Y believes that, stealing candy is just. Now, suppose Person X is a moral subjectivist. What reason could X give to persuade Y that stealing candy is unjust? Does this question even make sense in the logic of moral subjectivism? What difficulty does this pose for the theory of moral subjectivism?

  15. Problems with Moral Subjectivism If moral subjectivism is correct, then no moral opinion can be objectively more rational or better informed than any other moral opinion. 1. This would mean that opinions based on irrelevant reasons are equally rational as beliefs based on relevant reasons. (e.g. Stealing is wrong because it harms people s interests, and Stealing is wrong because oysters live in saltwater, are equally justified positions.) 2. This would mean also that opinions based on false reasons are equally rational as beliefs based on true reasons. (e.g. Torturing babies is wrong because babies suffer, and torturing babies is okay because babies feel no pain, are equally rational positions.) 3. Premises 2 and 3 above are untenable. 4. So, Subjectivism is not a rational position. 5.

  16. Problems with Moral Subjectivism If moral beliefs are merely subjective opinions or statements of personal approval, then A person could never provide reasons to justify their beliefs. A person could never provide reasons for others to adopt a belief. There would be no rational grounds for ever changing one s mind. If one were to change their mind, there would be no rational grounds for believing their revised belief was either better or worse than their previous belief. People would be infallible in matters of morality. That is, one could never be mistaken in asserting a moral belief.

  17. Cultural Relativism Unlike Moral Subjectivism, which claims moral truth is relative to the individual speaker, Cultural Relativism clams that moral truth is relative to a particular Culture or Socieity. The primary features of Cultural Relativism include: Different societies have different moral codes (descriptive assumption) There is no objective standard for believing one societal code is better than another. The moral code of our own society has no special status; it is merely one among many. There is no universal truth in ethics; that is there are no moral truths that hold for all people at all times. The moral code of a society determines what is right or wrong within that society; It is mere arrogance for us to judge the conduct of other peoples.

  18. Cultural Relativism The Argument For Cultural Relativism: The Cultural Differences Argument Different cultures have different moral codes. (descriptive relativism) Therefore, there is no objective truth in morality. Right and wrong are only matters of opinion, and opinions vary from culture to culture. 1. 2. (Note: This argument represents a barrier to critical thinking)

  19. Cultural Relativism: Moral vs. Descriptive Relativism Descriptive relativism: Claims as a matter of fact that different cultures have different moral values. (Note: Though there are disagreements on details, descriptive relativism is not controversial, nor a problem for critical thinking.) Cultural relativism: Claims that each culture is right unto itself. Cultural relativists insist that the meaning of good, bad, wrong, right, and the like, defined by the community or culture within which they are used.

  20. Descriptive Relativism Descriptive Relativism claims that different cultural groups have different moral beliefs and norms of behavior. Some of the disciplines that provide evidential support for descriptive relativism include: Cultural Anthropology Sociology Group, Cultural, and Organizational Psychology History Humanities, Literature, Art, Philosophy, etc.

  21. Descriptive Relativism: Some Challenges How does one define a culture or society? Most cultures are complex and contain innumerable sub-groups with cultural norms distinct from each other or with the majority culture. Most cultures (especially in the modern era of global transportation and communications) are deeply integrated or otherwise overlap with different cultures. Some cultural groups have no geographical or governmental borders. Members of a diaspora, for example, may share common values or norms while being separated and dispersed among, and integrated within, many distinct societies. Many, if not most, people personally identify with more than one distinct culture.

  22. The Case for Cultural Relativism The Argument For Cultural Relativism: The Cultural Differences Argument Different cultures have different moral codes (descriptive relativism) Therefore, there is no objective truth in morality. Right and wrong are only matters of opinion, and opinions vary from culture to culture. (Note: This argument represents a barrier to critical thinking)

  23. Basic claims of Cultural Relativism Different societies have different moral codes (descriptive claim) 1. There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one societal code better than another. 2. The moral code of our own society has no special status; it is merely one among many. 3. There is no universal truth in ethics; that is there are no moral truths that hold for all people at all times. 4. The moral code of a society determines what is right within that society; that is, if the moral code of a society says that a certain action is right, then that action is right, at least within that society. 5. It is mere arrogance (group bias) for us to judge the conduct of other peoples. 6.

  24. Problems with Cultural Relativism Cultural Relativism imposes a logical inconsistency on its proponents. Cultural Relativists hold that the beliefs of their own culture is not objectively better or worse than any other culture. No culture s beliefs are superior or inferior to another s. Cultural Relativists believe that what is morally right or true for a person is whatever their culture says is morally right or true. Some cultures condemn the moral beliefs and practices of other cultures, claiming the other culture is inferior. So, a Cultural relativist living in such a culture would have to believe both That their culture is right to condemn the moral beliefs of another culture (because this is what their culture says is right to believe). That their culture is wrong to condemn the moral beliefs of another culture (because this is what one must believe as a cultural relativist).

  25. If Cultural Relativism is true We could no longer say that the customs of other societies are inferior (nor superior) to our own. We could decide whether actions are right or wrong by consulting the standards of our society. (Relativism shares this characteristic with sociocentric absolutism.) The idea of moral progress is deemed impossible. The possibility of a pluralist society is undermined. Cultural Relativism offers no standard for dealing with conflicts between cultures - precisely where resolution of conflict is most urgently needed. The standard of moral proof becomes might makes right. Only the dominant culture may successfully determine moral truth for the entire culture. Morality, in this case, is determined by the ability to maintain political power. Commerce and trade (e.g. within Multinational corporations) that employs controversial methods such as sweat shops, slave labor, race and gender discrimination, or environmental destruction could not be morally criticized.

Related


More Related Content

giItT1WQy@!-/#giItT1WQy@!-/#giItT1WQy@!-/#giItT1WQy@!-/#giItT1WQy@!-/#