No. Relativism doesn’t “allow” or “disallow” anything. It says, simply, that there is no objective law of nature that affirms or denies any moral principle. Things fall down because of gravity; they would continue to do so even if someone said that they really fall up. That’s a natural law that’s easy to verify empirically. However, there is no way to measure “morals” independent of human perception and human experience, which differ from person to person. Therefore, because it is impossible to establish what is “right” or “wrong” independent of human experience, all perceptions of morality are equally likely to be “correct.” It is thus meaningless to talk about an “objective” or “absolute” morality.
That doesn’t contradict in any way the fact that human societies establish moral principles, and collectively agree to follow them, because they think that doing so will promote their own survival. “Beneficial” and “right” and “wrong” are just shorthand for that. Moral relativism doesn’t preclude the existence of different sets of ethics.
Actually, it’s the action that gives the person who wants something what they want. It’s similiar to the theory that the universe exists for me to post on this thread, the proof being that I’m posting on this thread. Fun, ne?
Lying is bad. But, like, sometimes it can lead to some good. I guess. I dunno.
Cheating is bad. But, like, sometimes the playing field is unlevel and you have to stretch the rules to balence 'em back out. I guess. I dunno.
Abortion is bad. But, like, people do it anyway, and keeping it legal keeps it regulatable and comparatively safe and sanitary. Which is better than people going into back alleys to have it done. And, like, babies conceived in rape or incest, like, the mom shouldn’t have to raise that kid. So, like, it’s bad, but like, in some scenarios its not so bad. I guess. I dunno.
Governments letting their people go poor and starved is bad. They should protect and provide for the people, especially the country is rich. But, like, part of protecting the people is like having a defense and arms and such. So, like, some money needs to be spent on keeping up with the Jones’, defensively speaking. I guess. I dunno.
Well, cheating on people is bad, and sex before marraige if done irresponsibly can cause a lot of problems for all involved and any kid that might come out of it (fathers who nut and run, etc). But, like, if you don’t have sex with someone before you marry them, you don’t know if you’re compatible with them or are attracted enough to them to have a pleasurable sexual experience with them on a regular basis for the rest of your lives (and you don’t know if they’re like into weird kinky shit like whips and chains and riding crops and safety words that you’re just not into). So, like, without sex outside of marraige, you can’t find out what you like in bed and you could get stuck in a marraige with somebody you can’t get along with sexually. So, like, it’s kinda bad, but kinda good. I guess. I dunno.
Like, nobody should be forced to profess a belief in something they don’t believe in, or be forced to be loyal to an institution (a church) they don’t want to be a part of. But, like, most people go to church and believe in God, so, like, if you don’t, then you won’t know what they’re talking about and like they’ll think you’re bad and wrong and different from them and like hassle you until you conform or just beat you up until you go away. So, like, maybe everybody should have to go so that they’ll at least know/learn how to fake it and not get persecuted. I guess. I dunno.
Killing is bad and wrong, whether a person does it or the state does it. And there’s no way to correct the mistake if you execute somebody who turned out to actually be innocent. But, like, some people are so fucked up that they remain a danger to themselves and others even when they’re locked up in prison, and like there’s no way to reform them and make them not a danger anymore. So maybe society does have to like kill somebody to defend themselves from said person. I guess. I dunno
Like, the judgment-impairing affects of drinking alcohol + the inexperience and rashness of youth is a bad thing that leads to a lot of tragic accidents. But, like, the same thing can and does happen with people of legal drinking age. Alcohol fucks people up irrespective of age. And, like, cigarettes do too, but the legal age on that is 18 – lower than that of alcohol [at least here in America]. So, it’s kinda inconsistent to have these different protective thresholds for these things that are both debilitating and addictive. And, like, the kids drink anyway at that young age. So, like, kids under 21 shouldn’t drink, but people over 21 kinda shouldn’t drink either. But, like, making alcohol illegal didn’t work, either. So, like, I guess, I dunno.
It’s wrong and bad to assume somebody is dumb, or lazy, or a cheat, or a liar, or a lecher, just because their skin is a certain color. But, like, there are some general differences in behavior patterns amongst different races (though they are learned behaviors from the social environment, not “natural” or “inherent” and they are of course BY NO MEANS monolithic or universal). WEak positive correlations? Is that the statistical term? So, like, people of different races do act a little different from each other – not better or worse, just different. I guess. I dunno.
Okay, so, like, the objectification of sex and people engaging in sex is bad. But, like, letting people look at other naked people can help them get an idea for what turns them on in other people, which can help them learn what they want to look for in a mate-for-life without having to resort to trial-and-error sexual relations outside marraige. Which is good. And banning it would just drive it underground and make it more risky and unsafe to acquire for the people who are going to want to acquire it anyway. So, like, people shouldn’t really look at it and take it seriously but, like, you shouldn’t ban stuff either. I guess. I dunno.
“Good” cultural morals simply seem to be one that’s most accepted as being most beneficial and least harmful to that society, really. Africans were enslaved for hundreds of years, yet it was accepted for a long time until the idea of liberty and equality took over the times. Why? Simply because in that time, those in power and had real influence over the society deemed slavery a thing beneficial, therefore making it a “good” cultural custom, simply because their opinion outweight those few who were for human equality. Now, we would consider it the very opposite, not only because of modern ideals, the struggle for equalty, the horrid history of slavery, but also because African-Americans and pro-human rights people have almost complete dominance in areas of societal influence.
Personal morals would be similar, I imagine. Whatever makes you feel happy and gives you the most benefit while at the same time causing the least amount of negative consequences would make it a better moral. Want to kill someone? That would probably land you in jail, most likely for life. <i>Extremely</i> bad moral. However… you think of the poor baby in the mother’s womb, perhaps never getting a chance at life? This displays fine generosity, a trait society generally encourages for smoother life. Good moral! You think of the poor mother who has her education and possibly entire life ruined for a broken condom, and who will lead her child into a miserable, underfunded life? This also displays generosity on your part! Also a good moral! So who’s right?
Relativity occurs in both cases for the many societies and many individuals even within the same society. <i>That</i> is why morality is a relative code of conduct not to be measured by any arbitrary standard.
Most, if not all Aethists (sp?) I know, study religeon as a whole and have picked apart all the stuff each one teaches and thus end up knowing MORE than the followers themselves, who use it as a sort of cushion in society. I think it also helps alot of people whom are insecure about themselves. But I’m on the anti-religeous side so my opinion is jaded.
Point is, people who choose to NOT follow religeon probably dislike them alot, to the point of picking them apart and know a good deal abou them. Which makes your above comment slightly flawed. Then again, accounting for the people who just dont do anything at all lazyassescoughcough whom dont know anything at all one way or another and have no real reason to say WHY they do or dont follow a deity.
There is never a good occasion to lie.
3
There is never a good occasion to cheat on a test.
2
Abortion is a great assault on innocent human life and can never be justified.
5
It is wrong for a rich country to engage so vigorously in an armsrace when it has so many poor people in its midst.
4
Outside of marriage, it is wrong to engage in sexual intercourse and the events leading up to it.
5
People have an obligation to worship God, even if they don’t feel like it.
5
Given the efficiency of today’s justice system, it is virtually impossible to justify capital punishment.
2
It would be dangerous and imprudent to lower the age for legalized drinking of alcohol.
4
It is wrong to asses or judge a person by the color of their skin.
1
Pornography - both soft and hard - debases human sexuality. It should be outlawed.
4
I’m sorry ;_;
