Question

"One of the drawbacks of ethical relativism is that it can lead to ethical subjectivism." Please explain what this statement means.

Answer 1

Ethical relativism is the theory that holds that morality is relative to the norms of one's culture. In other words, it states that the righteousness of an action should be assessed based on the prevailing norms of the society in which it is practiced. Ethical relativism explains the variability in the concept of morality but it can lead to ethical subjectivism. This is the theory that ethical statements are ultimately dependent on people’s attitudes towards them. This position can be risky because it can be used to support and justify deviant behaviours.