The roots of relativism.

The roots of relativism: Relativism was taking root in 5th century Athens, during the time of Socrates. Sophists teach rhetoric • Practices & principles of persuasive speaking • Make the weaker argument the stronger • Skeptical implications • No difference between truth & opinion • Can’t know the truth • Goal is persuasion, even if it requires eloquent falsehood Most famous sophist or relativist Protagoras – No ultimate truth – Opinions are equally true • “Man is the measure of all things” • “Of all things the measure is man: of existing things, that they exist; of non-existing things, that they do not exist” • “A human being is the measure of all things; of the things that are, that they are, and of the things that are not, that they are not.” What does this mean? • Win, at all costs, Students taught to adapt, Seek your advantage, Self-preservation • More important to appear just than to be just • Left with the question: – Is persuasion the best policy? – It is always a question of who wins? – Is it always a matter of being victorious as opposed to coming to know the truth? Socrates was not a sophist  Plato’s (Socrates) moral theory:  Moral values are eternal & unchanging.  Moral truth is found in the realm of these eternal values not in social conventions.  Morality exists independently of human emotions, desires, wishes, and opinions.  There exists an objective truth that is absolute and can only be found by training the intellect and through reason. What would the world be like if we took ethical subjectivism seriously? Weakest of the moral theories. It permits people to exploit and hurt others without having to justify their actions. It does not provide satisfactory explanation for why certain actions are wrong. We generally make moral judgments independently of anyone’s feelings toward the action. For a serial killer to enjoy torturing and killing victims or that a child molester sincerely believes that young victims enjoy being raped only makes their actions horrific. If ethical subjectivism were true, our moral heroes would be sociopaths, people who act solely on their feelings, without concern for any universal moral principles. The Kitty Genovese Syndrome, or the aka the Bystander Effect – the prevalence of ethical subjectivism has given rise to more and more cases such as these. (saw these in the basic instinct, news report film from last time) • Social psychological effect phenomenon in cases where individuals do not offer help in an emergency situation when other people are present. Why do people not step in? • Adopt a view of ethical subjectivism then there are no objective values regarding helping others or refraining from harming or even killing others. Cultural Relativism The perspective that suggests all values, norms, etc. are based on what is culturally acceptable or true relative to a culture. For example: If a culture believes women should be kept in subjection, women have a moral obligation to be submissive to men.  Men have a moral right, and perhaps a moral duty to use force should their women deviate from the cultural norm.  Should morality be based on what is culturally acceptable or unacceptable?