Moral Relativism: A Short IntroductionOn September 11 2001, thousands of people died in the attacks on the Unitedtates. How could this act of terror be justified? A young man kills hisister to protect his family's honour. How could this be "right"?;These areust two of the questions tackled by Neil Levy in this guide to thehilosophy of moral relativism - the idea that concepts of "rightness" and "rongness" vary from culture to culture and that there is no such thing as anbsolute moral code. Opening with a comprehensive definition to thisontroversial theory, the book examines all the arguments for and againstoral relativism, from its implications for ethics to the role of humaniology and the difficulty of separating cultural values from innateehaviour. The author draws on case studies from sources as diverse as theztecs and the Australian aboriginals to illustrate debates such as: can wever have a shared morality?; can concepts of "rightness" and "wrongness"ver be absolute?; does moral relativism pose a threat to human rights?;oncluding with a proposal for a more modest form of relativism, and |
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