Cultural Relativism
Cultural relativism is the conception of right and wrong and how that idea differs from culture to culture. Acceptance of this idea is what cultural relativism truly is. If we as humans can accept one another’s cultural beliefs and practices, we can say we are cultural relativists. Rachels’ says cultural relativism is not a good ethical theory because it prevents you from drawing conclusions. It is the same as the 'null set' in mathematics, meaning there are no meaningful rules. Tolerance fits into the discussion of cultural relativism simply because without tolerance, it would be extremely difficult to run our societies. In the American culture, we feel we should only be tolerant of people who are only willing to be tolerant. Every country would be at war with one another, trying to tell one another what is really right. But who is to say what is right and what is wrong?
There are many objections against cultural relativism, I believe the most powerful objection is that of which explains how cultural relativism can be helpful as an explanation of other cultures, but it does not justify them. It helps us understand why different cultures have accepted certain things as the norm, such as slavery, racism, genital mutilation, etc., but it is not a good argument as to why or if these actions are ever ethical. There is no argument about what is right or wrong between different cultures, we are human and we simply have to accept what other cultures consider normal. You may believe that one thing is wrong, but someone else might think the same of your practices and beliefs, not one person is morally right or wrong, it simply depends on the cultural beliefs and where that person was raised. For example, Afghanistan’s policies of not educating young women is right, Hitler’s Nazi Germany is right, even cannibalism in certain areas of the world is right. Every action any culture has ever done is right, as long as that culture believes so. Yet, if you do not follow what your culture believes is moral, you are immoral. No matter how hard one may try to change one culture’s practices or beliefs, it is nearly impossible because the culture you are attempting to change has grown and adapted this way.
Cultural relativists