Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the main idea of cultural relativism?
What is the main idea of cultural relativism?
Which cultural practice involves breaking the jawbone to create a heart-shaped face?
Which cultural practice involves breaking the jawbone to create a heart-shaped face?
Which cultural practice was part of Chinese culture but was banned in the 1940s?
Which cultural practice was part of Chinese culture but was banned in the 1940s?
According to cultural relativism, how are ethical standards viewed within different cultures?
According to cultural relativism, how are ethical standards viewed within different cultures?
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Which belief aligns with cultural relativism?
Which belief aligns with cultural relativism?
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What is the main idea of cultural relativism?
What is the main idea of cultural relativism?
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What determines if something is ethically acceptable in cultural relativism?
What determines if something is ethically acceptable in cultural relativism?
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How does cultural relativism view different cultures?
How does cultural relativism view different cultures?
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Why can't a society pass judgment on another society according to cultural relativism?
Why can't a society pass judgment on another society according to cultural relativism?
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What does cultural relativism imply about the concept of truth?
What does cultural relativism imply about the concept of truth?
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How does cultural relativism approach the idea of right and wrong?
How does cultural relativism approach the idea of right and wrong?
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What was the result of the process of foot binding in China?
What was the result of the process of foot binding in China?
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According to cultural relativism, what does the moral code of a society determine?
According to cultural relativism, what does the moral code of a society determine?
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What does cultural relativism claim about judging one society’s moral code against another's?
What does cultural relativism claim about judging one society’s moral code against another's?
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What is the first lesson we can learn from cultural relativism?
What is the first lesson we can learn from cultural relativism?
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What does cultural relativism warn us about related to our customs?
What does cultural relativism warn us about related to our customs?
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What does cultural relativism encourage us to do in terms of our feelings as we grow up?
What does cultural relativism encourage us to do in terms of our feelings as we grow up?
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What is a common problem within the same faith?
What is a common problem within the same faith?
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What is an example of conflicting ethical standards mentioned in the text?
What is an example of conflicting ethical standards mentioned in the text?
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Why does the text raise the question of whether people without religious beliefs have a moral code?
Why does the text raise the question of whether people without religious beliefs have a moral code?
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What does the text highlight as a challenge even within the same faith?
What does the text highlight as a challenge even within the same faith?
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In the context of the text, what is a potential consequence of varying religious traditions?
In the context of the text, what is a potential consequence of varying religious traditions?
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Why does the text mention differences within the same faith?
Why does the text mention differences within the same faith?
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Why does Hobbes believe the social contract is necessary?
Why does Hobbes believe the social contract is necessary?
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What is one potential consequence of escaping the state of nature, as described by Hobbes?
What is one potential consequence of escaping the state of nature, as described by Hobbes?
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Why would Hobbes argue that giving complete power to one ruler is a solution?
Why would Hobbes argue that giving complete power to one ruler is a solution?
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What does Hobbes suggest about the state of nature?
What does Hobbes suggest about the state of nature?
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How does Hobbes address the issue of potentially 'evil' leaders in a social contract?
How does Hobbes address the issue of potentially 'evil' leaders in a social contract?
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In Hobbes' social contract theory, what is the purpose of giving complete power to one person?
In Hobbes' social contract theory, what is the purpose of giving complete power to one person?
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Study Notes
Sources of Morality/Factors Affecting Ethical Thinking
Cultural Relativism
- Cultural relativism is the view that all customs, beliefs, and ethics are relative to the individual within their own social context.
- Right and wrong are culture-specific, and what is considered moral in one society may be considered immoral in another.
- Cultural relativism challenges the objectivity and legitimacy of moral truth.
- There are no moral truths that hold for all people at all times.
- Examples of cultural practices that illustrate cultural relativism:
- Heart-shaped faces in South Korea through plastic surgery
- Face tattoos in Māori women of New Zealand
- Cannibalism and immolating widows in the Sawi tribe
- Foot binding in China
- Cultural relativism warns us about assuming that all our practices are based on absolute rational standards.
- It encourages us to keep an open mind and recognize that our customs are merely conventional and peculiar to our society.
Ethical Subjectivism
- Ethical subjectivism is not explicitly defined in the text, but it is mentioned as a topic under Sources of Morality/Factors Affecting Ethical Thinking.
Social Contract Theory
- Social contract theory is the idea that we collectively agree to follow laws and give unlimited power to leaders or rulers to ensure we all follow them.
- This theory is attributed to Thomas Hobbes, who argued that it is necessary to avoid living in horrible conditions where everyday life is a violent struggle.
- According to Hobbes, the social contract is necessary to improve our society and avoid the state of nature, which is chaotic and brutal.
- Hobbes' social contract theory presents a choice between living in a state of complete freedom and chaos, or giving complete and unlimited power to one person to regulate human behavior and avoid conflict.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the cultural practice of foot binding in China and the concept of cultural relativism. Explore how cultural relativism challenges the idea of objective moral truth and how different societies have unique moral codes.
