The Challenge of Cultural Relativisim Research Assignment

CULTURAL RELATIVISM
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Cultural Relativism
Moral codes and customs usually control culture of a given society. Basing the argument from The Challenge of Cultural Relativism by James Rachels, even though different cultures have different moral codes illustrating morality of a community, an aspect of universal ethics promotes universal values in different cultures. Thus, all cultures have some values in common, and there is less disagreement between cultures than there seems to be at first glance. The essay hence responds to a claim that different cultures have different moral codes by elaborating a view on universal ethics that gives common values in the various societies.
Cultures portray common values, and no disagreements exist between cultures at first glance. Examining cultural relativism brings out an aspect of universal moral and ethical codes. The reality in such claim is that the beliefs of people of a given society differ from other community. However, the different norms in their culture provide a fact of upholding morality that only varies in different cultures. Therefore, the moral outcome regarding the claims arises from the opinion that would bring about the perception of moral inferiority among different cultures. Henceforth, the cultural relativism aspect does not bring about criticism of other cultures or stereotyping other cultures. Nevertheless, such criticism only comes as people’s perception. Besides, the judgments of action whether right or wrong go beyond mere consultation of the societal standard.[Rachels, James. "The challenge of cultural relativism." Bioethics: An Introduction to the History, Methods, and Practice (2007): 118]
According to James Rachels regarding the claim, the theory of cultural relativism reveals cultural outlook in discerning moral status. Thus, in as much as we may differ in cultural aspects, all such customs connote morality. Rachels lays out such universality by giving an example of the Greeks who believed that it is wrong to eat a dead person while the Callatians conform to such cultural norm hence it only becomes an opinion that varies different cultures. Separately, Rachels notes that the Eskimos have no issue with the infanticide while the Americans see infanticide as an abomination. Therefore, Rachels argues that no truth exists in morality hence cultures have their unique moral codes different from the other customs. In his conclusion, Rachels notes that the ideas of wrong or right are only opinions that vary across different cultures. The argument by Rachel henceforth affirms that there are universality and commonness in values due to their aspect of upholding moral standards even if they may be different.[Johnson, Thomas H. "Cultural relativism: interpretations of a concept." Anthropological Quarterly 80, no. 3 (2007): 791-802.]
In refuting the claim, Rachels notes that differences in moral codes among different cultures give custom differences. Thus, each community has its own unique and independent standard that is bound to a specific culture. The traditional kinship and customs in a society follow kinship from ancestors. Therefore, the culture of a particular community becomes the basis of all its traditions that ...