2014-2-PHI110-05

__NOTITLE__ Studying 2014/2 PHI110: Philosophy, Morality and Society. Week 5. Undertaken Study Period 2, 2014. Content is quoted and/or summarised from the university website in fair dealing for purpose of research or study. See also: StudyWISE and AIMS.

Cultural Diversity and Moral Relativism

This week, we begin the second section of the unit, focussing on meta-ethics and meta-ethical questions.

This week, we examine the relativist challenge to normative ethics. Are some actions right or wrong absolutely, or should the truth of moral claims be considered relative to a culture?

Links

Herewith a list of further reading:

• Bernard Williams
• Henry James
• Henry James and the Zeitgeist
• Moral universalism
• Moral absolutism

Lectures

Lecturer for section 2: Dr Mianna Lotz.

• Lecture 9
• Lecture 10

Notes

• Week 5: Lecture 9 (original)
• Week 5: Lecture 10 (original)

Questions

• Reading questions for week 5 (original)

Readings

Readings downloaded from e-Reserve.

• Benedict, Ruth. "A defence of moral relativism (extract)" in Vice and Virtue in Everyday Life: Introductory Readings in Ethics, Sommers, Christina; Sommers, Fred, 1993, 160-167 (original)
• Midgley, Mary. "Trying out one's new sword (extract)" in Vice and Virtue in Everyday Life: Introductory Readings in Ethics, Sommers, Christina; Sommers, Fred, 1993, 174-179 (original)
• Williams, Bernard. "Interlude: Relativism" in Morality: An Introduction to Ethics, Williams, Bernard, 1976, 34-39 (original)
• Wong, David. "Relativism" in Companion to Ethics, Singer, Peter, 1993, 442-450 (original)

Answers

TODO: answer the reading questions.

Activities

• Self Test Quiz - Week 05 Cultural Diversity and Moral Relativism
• Discussion forum for Week 5: Cultural Diversity and Moral Relativism
• Week 5 review: What have you learnt? (original)

Work

TODO

Things to do, most important on top:

• Listen to the Lectures
• Read the Lecture notes
• Read the Questions
• Read the Readings
• Answer the Questions
• Do the Activities

Done

Things that are done, most recent on top:

Glossary

Herewith a list of new and/or interesting words and selected definitions:

normative

normative

Of, relating to, or prescribing a norm or standard: normative grammar.

Giving directives or rules; prescriptive. Opposed to descriptive.

metaethics

metaethics

The study of the meaning and nature of ethical terms, judgments, and arguments.

The descriptive study of philosophical ethical systems, especially with regard to their key concepts, techniques of reasoning and analysis, and linguistic conventions.