Difference Between Ethics And Cultural Relativism

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In explaining Cultural Relativism, it is useful to compare and contrast it with Ethical Relativism. Cultural Relativism is a theory about morality focused on the concept that matters of custom and ethics are not universal in nature but rather are culture specific. Each culture evolves its own unique moral code, separate and apart from any other. Ethical Relativism is also a theory of morality with a view of ethics similarly engaged in understanding how morality comes to be culturally defined. However, the formulation is quite different in that from a wide range of human habits, individual opinions drive the culture toward distinguishing normal “good” habits from abnormal “bad” habits. The takeaway is that both theories share the guiding principle …show more content…

There is no connection between them so they are never in conflict relative to their moral beliefs. However, within the context of Ethical Relativism there’s a significant difference. Normally, two cultures will possess varying proportions of the same normal and abnormal habits yet from a cross-cultural standpoint, what is abnormal in one culture can be seen as properly normal in another. There is no resulting conflict over consideration of what’s normal because they are just expressing a difference of opinion over the selection of a dominant good habit. These theories assure that the morality of two cultures must be viewed as strictly …show more content…

The Greeks practiced the former while the Callatians the latter. The objection in this case is seemingly controversial in that it involves cannibalism on the part of one culture. But, perhaps the true situation reflects nothing more than a matter of convenience to cremate a body and that consumption of human flesh reflects conservation in the face of limited food resources. In either case, the body is consumed through the mechanics of a process in which the deceased has no voice. So, is the issue truly about morality or just a difference in opinion? The example does little to further illustrate the objection of being unable to consider another cultural custom as

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