Question

Ethics in Business Accounting Question

Based on the definition the chapter gave for ethical relativism do you think that issues like child labor or gender equality should be considered ethically wrong based on a society's values?

Answer 1

Ethical relativism is the theory that holds that morality is relative to the norms of one's culture. That is, whether an action is right or wrong depends on the moral norms of the society in which it is practiced. The same action may be morally right in one society but be morally wrong in another. For the ethical relativist, there are no universal moral standards -- standards that can be universally applied to all peoples at all times. The only moral standards against which a society's practices can be judged are its own.

On the basis of ethical relativism issues like child labour or gender inequality should be considered ethically wrong based on society's value as majority societies consider it to be against the dignity of a person and is not endorsed by anyone in any society.