Importance and Limitations of Cultural Relativism

Cultural Relativism
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Cultural Relativism
Cultural relativism is a philosophical approach that asserts that it is challenging to make judgments and evaluations against other cultures. This originates from the premise that a person is a product of their culture. Cultural relativism highlights that the terms right and wrong are entirely determined by the culture that they are being utilized in (Peoples & Bailey, 2011). The actions of a person can be viewed at with other considerations being taken into account especially the culture and religion they grew up in. The paper will highlight the importance and usefulness of cultural relativism while at the simultaneous illustrating the limitations associated with the cultural relativist approach.
Analysis of cultural relativism
Cultural relativism refers to a process that allows a person to define their rightness or wrongness of their morality and ethics based on their own circumstances. It provides individuals with an opportunity to change their perspectives at the most fundamental level without suffering the consequences of those actions (Carson, 2012). Additionally, it eliminates the rigid standards that societies typically create that require all people to think, speak and act in a particular manner. Cultural relativism discards all definitions from society as it continually enhances h perspective of the individual. All people have their moral code which they use to adhere to.
The principle of cultural relativism is associated with the values and beliefs of a specific culture and from the perspective of that culture. This philosophical approach originated in the work of Franz Boas in the early twentieth century, and cultural relativism has massively influenced social sciences particularly in the field of anthropology (Erickson & Murphy, 2013). In sociology, cultural relativism is utilized to avoid the occurrence of bias in research and also prevents people from judging other cultures by the standards of their culture. Cultural relativism, therefore, has been essential in preventing ethnocentrism and is often related to but distinguished from moral relativism. In moral relativism, this is typically relative to a standard especially a cultural norm.
The usefulness and importance of cultural relativism
Cultural relativism enhances the development of individual moral codes. Through this approach, a person can consult with their expectations of their society to determine what they believe is right. This leads to the creation of simple assessments that dictate the manner that a person reacts in different situations (Carson, 2012). A person is always in charge of what they believe is a moral decision. Although cultural relativism can define morality beyond the scope of what is considered traditional rules, a society can establish a culture that invites inclusion over exclusion in all or various circumstances.
Cultural relativism does not rely on the principles of moral relativism. This approach treats every culture as an individual. The moral and ethical codes of a person, along with their expectations are implemented by those that define themselves through their individuality (Erickson & Murphy, 2013). Some cultures ...