Critique:   Relativism & Absolutism

Ethical Relativism

Ethical Absolutism

• We need tolerance and understanding
• We are not to pass judgements on other cultures until we understand them
• Reasonable people differ on issues (Hinnman)

Insights offered: On the Positive Side

• Tells us there are times when we need to make judgements
• Tells us that some things just are not tolerable, like child abuse (Hinnman).

Criticism of

• If everybody is right, and nobody is wrong, then opposite and conflicting positions could both be right at the same time.
• If there were no ethical and objective  way for evaluating specific incidents, then things like domestic abuse, child abuse, rape, slavery, discrimination  become matters of personal opinion.   How could a country begin to make laws to protect its citizens?

Criticism of

• There is nothing to learn from others
• Critics claim it is not possible to know or prove that your truth is the absolute  truth
• Critics claim (even when you start on the same page) that it is impossible to prove your interpretation of the commandments or of the Bible ...