This is an old revision of the document!
PBA221H: Moral Relativism
pre/corequisite: PBA121H: Why Truth Matters in the Abortion Debate
Powerpoint: A defense against moral relativism
What is (moral) relativism?
Relativism:
“…truth itself is relative to the standpoint of the judging subject…”1)
Thus, moral relativism holds that the truth of a statement of morality i.e., it is wrong to murder an innocent person, is relative to the person.
Example statements
“You ought not judge other people’s values”
False.
Philosophical: That statement is a contradiction. The word “ought” implies that you are making a value-judgement.
Conversational: CG/A/Q with Obvious counter-examples e.g. Child abuse, racist actions, etc.
“Morals are just what you are brought up with from your parents and society”
False.
Philosophical: To say someone’s view is wrong by showing how that person came to hold their view commits the genetic fallacy.
Ex. “You only believe that because…x,y,z. And therefore you are wrong.”
The point? Truth has nothing to do with how we came to hold it.
Conversational: Reply: I am not worried about how we come to know where we derive morality, all I am arguing is that if all human beings have human rights, it is a human rights violation to deny the pre-born child her right to life.
“What is right or wrong for me might not be right or wrong for you”
False.
Philosophical: My belief ≠reality; I might believe pedophilia is moral, but my belief that that is true does not make it right.
Conversational: Counter-examples.
“We have to be tolerant, and that means respecting other opinions in morality”
False. Philosophical: Tolerance means tolerance of people, not opinions. Ex. “It is morally acceptable to sexually assault another human being” does not deserve to be tolerated.
Conversational: Ask a question: Should we be tolerant of those who hold the belief that [insert awful example here]?
Vs.
Opinions that deserve respect/tolerance (not all of them!)