Moral Relativism And The Ethical Dilemma - 1615 Words

Introduction When I first looked at the instructions for this assignment the ethical dilemma I wanted to talk about came immediately to mind. It was a decision I made more than fifteen years ago but I still remember it and had never thought of it in terms of ethics before. When I started this unit and began looking at situations from that perspective I became more intrigued and wondered if any of the readings could help me understand why I came to the decision I did . I once made the decision to engage in a behaviour deviant to the norm of my society, deciding that the â€Å"correct† action to take was to steal from one of my teachers. When I started reading about moral relativism and realised that this might be a way to explain how a â€Å"wrong† choice can sometimes be a â€Å"right† one, or at least to the person acting on it. Moral Relativism â€Å"The view that moral judgements are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint†¦and that no standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Westacott, date unknown) The foundations of the concept of moral relativism were first expressed in 5th Century Greece; prior to this the idea of morals could be easily summed up as the following by Westacott: â€Å"In the view of most people throughout history, moral questions have objectively correct answers†¦cowardice is a bad quality†¦heroes deserve respect†¦Ã¢â‚¬  However, a few intellectuals of the era began to contemplate the idea that this might not be as straightforward as previouslyShow MoreRelatedCritical Analysis of Ethical Relativism Essay1069 Words   |  5 PagesWhen it comes to moral dilemmas between cultures, there is a grey area that can sometimes make it difficult to resolve issues surrounding the dilemma. What is morality? How is it possible to know what is morally correct when cultures differ so vastly? To answer these questions, and many more regarding the moral dilemmas in the world, there are theories that have been developed to resolve them. One example is known as Ethical Relativism. Ethical Relativism has been developed on the basis that thereRead MoreEssay on Universalism vs. Relativism645 Words   |  3 PagesKatie Potter PHIL 213 Ethical Universalism vs. Ethical Relativism Ethical universalism and ethical relativism are two types of meta-ethical views, meaning the two theories attempt to understand the reason behind ethical properties, attitudes, boundaries and judgements. Ethical universalism can be viewed as an ideal world, while ethical relativism explains a more realistic perspective on why different cultures can view the same actions differently. 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Ethical relativism is defined as moral values beingRead MoreEvaluating Ethical Decisions and Defining a Universal Standard of Good1476 Words   |  6 PagesEvaluating Ethical Decisions and Defining a Universal Standard of Good It is difficult to provide a concrete definition for the word â€Å"right.† Right can mean many different things in different situations. For example, the right answer to one plus one is two. Yet, â€Å"doing the right thing† isn’t a simple answer like the previous example. In determining the difference between right and wrong, the pursuit of making an ethical decision is born. There are many concepts of right and wrong. DespiteRead MoreCorrelation Between The Police Shooting And The Violent Crime Essay1504 Words   |  7 Pagesblacks are more likely to be shot by the police as opposed to the unarmed white counterparts (Kindy et al., 2016). 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Asking the question about what is moral willRead MoreEffective Leadership Skills During An Ethical Dilemma1464 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership Skills during an Ethical Dilemma The purpose of this paper is to introduce ethical frameworks that can help solve an ethical dilemma. I will give an example of ethical issues encountered in a jail setting and an ethical dilemma that I experienced as a result of these ethical issues. I will analyze the moral, ethical, and legal implications that I used in this ethical dilemma. Furthermore, I will explain my leadership role as a patient advocate during this particular moral issue. Lastly, I willRead MoreUtilitarianism And Utilitarianism887 Words   |  4 PagesUtilitarianism and Kantianism are some of the popular moral philosophical theories that have been used to deliberate on ethical matters in the society. The business world, systems of government, healthcare system, and other facets of the society are dependent on the provisions of these theories. Utilitarianism and Kantianism were developed by Jeremy Bentham and Immanuel Kant respectively. While these theories can be applied in a beneficial manner in a wide array of areas, it is clear that Kantianism