Cultural Relativism (Reaction Paper Sample)

Discussion; Cultural Relativism Student’s name Institutional Affiliation Professor Date Cultural Relativism Cultural relativism is the idea that ethical conclusions and moral judgments are based on the values and beliefs of a particular culture (Park, 2021). According to this view, an action can be deemed right or wrong depending on the cultural context in which it is performed. This idea has been around for centuries, though it was first formally articulated by the German philosopher Franz Boas in the 19th century. One of Rachels’ objections against cultural relativism is that it does not allow for any universal standards of ethical and moral behavior. Rather, it implies that all cultures are equally valid, regardless of the differences in their moral codes. Rachels argues that this idea is flawed because it implies that a particular culture’s moral code has no more validity than any other culture’s. In other words, if all cultures are equally valid, then it follows that no culture’s moral code is superior to any other’s. In my view, Rachels does not defeat cultural relativism, as his arguments are largely philosophical. While his arguments are ...