Ethical Relativism

Christine Ramos

3 Jan 202105:59

Summary

TLDRThis video delves into ethical relativism, exploring whether personal or societal beliefs can dictate moral rightness. It contrasts moral judgments with scientific proofs, emphasizing the subjectivity in determining good or bad actions. The speaker, Dr. Ramos, uses examples like charitable acts and the death penalty to illustrate the complexity of moral judgments across cultures. The video also touches on the influence of personal and societal beliefs on perception and decision-making, highlighting the diversity in moral ideologies, such as Hitler's, and the importance of conviction in one's beliefs.

Takeaways

🤔 Ethical relativism suggests that what is considered morally right or wrong can vary based on individual or cultural beliefs.
🌐 Moral judgments are subjective and can differ from proving scientific facts, which are objective and verifiable.
🔍 The distinction between 'right' and 'wrong' is not always clear-cut and can be influenced by personal motivations and societal norms.
💰 An action, such as spending money to help others, can be seen as morally good depending on the intention behind it.
🤷‍♂️ Morality is a personal construct that can't be empirically tested or measured by scientific instruments.
💡 A person's belief in the morality of their actions can make those actions 'right' from their perspective, even without external validation.
👥 Society's views on what is right or wrong can influence an individual's actions, but personal beliefs often hold significant weight.
🏛️ Laws and norms vary across different cultures, reflecting the diversity of moral beliefs within those societies.
🗡️ The example of the death penalty illustrates how one country's moral stance can be at odds with another's, based on differing beliefs about justice and punishment.
🎭 Historical figures like Adolf Hitler demonstrate how deeply held beliefs, even if misguided or harmful, can drive actions and policies.
🧠 Beliefs are shaped by personal experiences and knowledge, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world.
🏆 Success, such as becoming rich, can be perceived differently based on individual beliefs about the importance of education or strategy.

Q & A

What is ethical relativism?
-Ethical relativism is the belief that moral judgments are subjective and dependent on cultural, societal, or individual perspectives, rather than being universally true or false.
Can a person's belief make an action morally right?
-According to the script, if a person believes something is morally right, it can be considered morally right for them, although this is subject to their own convictions and may not align with societal or cultural norms.
How does culture or society influence moral judgments?
-Culture or society can shape moral judgments by establishing shared beliefs about what is considered right or wrong, which can vary significantly across different groups.
What is the difference between believing something is right or wrong and good or bad?
-Believing something is right or wrong pertains to moral judgments, whereas believing something is good or bad is more about personal or societal values and preferences.
Why are moral judgments considered harder to deduce than scientific theories?
-Moral judgments are harder to deduce because they are subjective and influenced by personal, cultural, and societal factors, unlike scientific theories which are based on empirical evidence and objective analysis.
What is an example of a morally good action according to the script?
-An example given is when a person spends money to help innocent civilians in a wide-ranging country, which is considered morally good due to the motivation behind the action.
What is the significance of motivation in determining the morality of an action?
-Motivation is significant because it can influence whether an action is seen as morally good or bad. For instance, spending money for altruistic reasons is morally good, whereas doing so for personal gain is not.
Why might debating the morality of a thought or action be pointless?
-Debating can be pointless because morality is not something that can be tested or measured scientifically, and it is deeply rooted in personal and cultural beliefs.
How do personal beliefs about right or wrong differ from societal views?
-Personal beliefs are individual convictions that may or may not align with societal views, which are the collective moral standards shared by a community or culture.
What is an example of differing beliefs in different countries as mentioned in the script?
-The script mentions the death penalty as an example where one country might accept it as morally right punishment, while another country might oppose it based on their belief in the sanctity of life.
How did Adolf Hitler's beliefs influence his actions and the perception of morality?
-Hitler's beliefs, such as his rejection of non-Germans having a say in Germany and his view of communism as a threat, led him to take extreme actions, including military force, which he believed were morally justified based on his convictions.
What is the relationship between belief and conviction as discussed in the script?
-Belief and conviction are related in that a conviction is a strong belief that a person holds as true, even without evidence, and it is deeply ingrained in their mind based on their experiences and knowledge.
How do different beliefs about wealth and success illustrate the concept of ethical relativism?
-The script uses the example of two people with different beliefs about achieving wealth— one through education and the other through life strategy— to show that what is considered a path to success can vary greatly based on individual perspectives.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Ethical Relativism and Moral Judgments

This paragraph delves into the concept of ethical relativism, questioning whether moral rightness is subjective or objective. It explores the difficulty of moral judgments compared to scientific theories and the distinction between moral rightness and goodness. The speaker discusses the complexity of determining right from wrong and how actions can be morally good or bad based on motivations. The paragraph also touches on the influence of personal and societal beliefs on moral decisions, using the example of helping civilians versus making investments for profit. It concludes by suggesting that morality is a personal conviction that cannot be scientifically tested or measured, implying that a person's belief in the moral rightness of an action can indeed make it morally right.

05:01

🌐 Cultural Beliefs and Individual Perceptions

The second paragraph examines how cultural beliefs and individual perceptions shape our understanding of wealth and success. It contrasts the beliefs of two individuals, Person A and Person B, who have different views on what leads to becoming rich. Person A believes that good grades lead to a stable job and wealth, while Person B thinks that a strategic life plan is more important, regardless of academic performance. The speaker, Dr. Ramos, emphasizes that despite their differing beliefs, both individuals could achieve wealth if they have a strong will. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the subjectivity of beliefs and how they influence our perception of the world, without necessarily determining a single 'right' or 'wrong' path to success.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Ethical Relativism

Ethical relativism is the philosophical concept that moral judgments are true or false relative to some particular standpoint. In the script, it's discussed in the context of whether an individual or culture can determine what is morally right based on their beliefs, highlighting the complexity of moral judgments compared to scientific ones.

💡Moral Judgments

Moral judgments refer to the evaluations made regarding the rightness or wrongness of actions or behaviors. The video script emphasizes the difficulty in deducing moral judgments, contrasting them with the more objective nature of scientific theories, and exploring how they can be influenced by personal and cultural beliefs.

💡Cultural Beliefs

Cultural beliefs are the shared values, customs, and norms within a society that influence its members' behavior and decision-making. The script uses the example of different countries having different laws and practices, such as the death penalty, to illustrate how cultural beliefs can shape what is considered morally right or wrong.

💡Moral Good

Moral good is a concept that describes actions or intentions that are considered to have a positive moral value. The script provides the example of a person spending money to help innocent civilians, which is considered morally good if the motivation is altruistic.

💡Moral Praiseworthiness

Moral praiseworthiness refers to the quality of being deserving of moral approval or commendation. The video discusses how an action may be prudent but not morally praiseworthy if the motivation is self-serving rather than altruistic.

💡Complexity

Complexity in the script refers to the intricacies and potential conflicts in determining moral right from wrong. It is used to describe situations where the moral evaluation of an action is not straightforward, such as when personal beliefs conflict with societal norms.

💡Conviction

Conviction is a strong belief or opinion that a person holds true, often without needing evidence. In the context of the video, conviction is related to the belief in the moral rightness of one's actions, even in the absence of empirical proof.

💡Hitler's Ideology

Hitler's ideology, as mentioned in the script, is an example of a belief system that was deeply held and led to significant historical consequences. It demonstrates how personal beliefs, when unchecked, can lead to actions that others may view as morally wrong.

💡Communism

Communism is an economic and political system that Hitler viewed as a threat to Germany, as described in the script. It serves as an example of how different ideologies can be perceived as morally right or wrong depending on one's perspective.

💡Jewish People

The Jewish people are mentioned in the script in the context of Hitler's beliefs, illustrating how certain groups can be negatively impacted by the moral judgments and actions of others based on prejudiced beliefs.

💡Perception

Perception in the video refers to how individuals interpret and understand the world around them based on their beliefs. The script uses the example of two people with different beliefs about education and wealth to show how perception can vary greatly.

💡Strong Will

A strong will is the determination and resolve to achieve a goal, regardless of differing beliefs or perceptions. The script suggests that having a strong will can lead to success, even when one's beliefs about how to achieve success differ from others.

Highlights

Ethical relativism discusses the morality of actions based on personal or cultural beliefs.

Moral judgments differ from scientific theories in their complexity and the way they are deduced.

Actions can be classified as morally right, wrong, good, or bad based on motivations and societal views.

An example illustrates how helping innocent civilians can be morally good, depending on the motivation behind it.

Determining right from wrong can be straightforward or complex, depending on the situation's uncertainty.

Individuals often believe in the moral rightness of their actions based on personal conviction.

Morality cannot be scientifically tested or measured, making it subjective to personal beliefs.

Society's beliefs and personal convictions often influence a person's actions and moral decisions.

Different countries have varying laws and moral stances, such as the acceptance of the death penalty.

Historical example of Adolf Hitler's ideology and its impact on his moral and ethical decisions.

Beliefs are convictions deeply rooted in a person's experiences and knowledge.

Different beliefs can lead to different perceptions of the same situation or concept.

Example of differing beliefs on the importance of grades for achieving wealth.

Even with differing beliefs, individuals can achieve success through determination and willpower.

The challenge of determining which belief is right or wrong in the context of personal and cultural differences.

Dr. Ramos concludes the discussion on cultural relativism and its implications on moral judgments.