Introduction to Philosophy: Overhead

Lessons from Cultural Relativism
(Rachels)

Two lessons we should learn from Cultural Relativism, according to Rachels:

1. "Cultural Relativism warns, us, quite rightly, about the danger of assuming that all our preferences are based on some absolute rational standard. . . . Many (but not all) of our practices are merely peculiar to our society." (P 383a)

2. "Cultural Relativism, by stressing that moral values can reflect the prejudices of our society, provides an antidote for . . . dogmatism." (P 383b)

Rachels: "But we can accept these points without going on to accept the whole theory." (P 384b)

Richard Lee, rlee@comp.uark.edu, last modified: 24 February 1999

1.	"Cultural Relativism warns, us, quite rightly, about the danger of assuming that all our preferences are based on some absolute rational standard. . . . Many (but not all) of our practices are merely peculiar to our society." (P 383a)
2.	"Cultural Relativism, by stressing that moral values can reflect the prejudices of our society, provides an antidote for . . . dogmatism." (P 383b)