Ethical Language - Objectivity, Subjectivity and Relativism
- Created by: Beth Millward
- Created on: 09-06-15 14:35
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- Objectivity, Relativism and Subjectivism
- objectivity
- ethical principles can be established a priori (without experience)
- intrinsically right, irrespective of outcome and source
- 'good' without reference to consequence
- moral absolutism
- possible to evaluate moral actions by testing if an individual group has acted in an acceptable and agreed moral way
- moral absolutism
- 'good' without reference to consequence
- intrinsically right, irrespective of outcome and source
- one universal moral code
- things are right because they are right
- shown through reasoning and evidence from moral law evident in nature
- e.g. murder is wrong because it causes suffering
- shown through reasoning and evidence from moral law evident in nature
- strengths
- possible to critically evaluate moral actions
- if an individual or group is not conforming to the absolute standard they can justifiably be condemned for it
- weaknesses
- depends entirely on societies and individuals coming to an agreement as to what constitutes absolute morality
- leaves no room for personal preference or subjective opinion
- ethical principles can be established a priori (without experience)
- Relativism
- argues that people can never reach an agreement on objective morals
- what is determined as 'good' or 'bad' because everyone has a different viewpoint
- strengths
- moral values are grounded in social custom
- no universal right or wrong way of behaving
- conceptions of morality should be based on how people actually behave, rather than an ideal standard of how people should behave
- weaknesses
- moral goodness is simply a matter of popular opinion
- morality of individuals tends to be shaped by society, not the other way round
- the views of other cultures are only true for them
- argues that people can never reach an agreement on objective morals
- Subjectivism
- associated with how an individual or the group they belong to feels or thinks about morality
- strengths
- no universal right or wrong way of behaving
- can adapt to changing circumstance
- can include social and cultural concerns and viewpoints
- weaknesses
- no tried and tested answers
- based on opinion, which may be misinformed
- no continuity or predictable outcomes
- objectivity
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