Ethical Relativism

Ethical Relativism
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Anthropology is a scientific study that deals with the culture, behavior and origin of mankind. The various branches of anthropology include archeology, linguistic, cultural and social anthropology. The study tries to describe man`s origin by understanding the past and current developments. It study enables one to understand the modern man through analysis of the past. The study also helps one to understand other people`s culture and relate to their behavior. In the modern world people travel as well as intermarry with other communities. This interaction is not limited to the physical boundaries of a community. Anthropological studies will then help in facilitating efficient communication between persons of different cultures.
Anthropology is referred to as a scientific study as it uses physical evidence and facts to explain man`s origin. It also relies on various scientific methods to determine the past. A good example is the carbon dating of human fossil that has been used in archeology anthropology. However, anthropology may be viewed as a social study as it deals with how man behaves with reference to their culture. Through the years, man has adopted various changes in their life. This is evidenced by the various lifestyle changes as compared to the past. This paper will focus on applying cultural relativism, a concept in anthropology in our modern life. The discussion will be focused on an article by Michael F. Brown on cultural relativism. This article was extracted from Current Anthropology Journal, Volume 49, and page 363-380.
Anthropology exists so as to explain the diversity of cultures. This diversity is also demonstrated in other disciplines such as the economic inequality. The concept of cultural relativism has been applied by different persons since the time of the Greek community. It is a theory that argues that cultural practices in a society are relative to the norms of the society. Cultural relativism is the understanding of what is right or wrong judging from a set standard which is familiar to a group of people or culture. This means that a cultural practice is deemed right or wrong because a culture permits or prohibits it respectively. A good example is female genital mutilation (FGM), which is a culture practiced by the African society but prohibited by the Western culture.
Cultural relativist advocates that there are no universal set standard practices that apply to different societies. They believe that a practice can only be judged to be right or wrong with reference to a community`s culture and moral value. Those who oppose this view on the other hand, believe that different cultural practices and morals should be subjected to judgment using a set standard culture. They view the already predetermined standard culture to be superior as opposed to the other cultures.
There are two main type of cultural relativism: descriptive and prescriptive. Descriptive relativism is the acceptance that different cultural practices are practiced according to different moral codes. These moral codes may even be contrasting. Prescription relativism on the other hand, further claims that different culture should not be judged using a single standard culture.
Michael Brown however, describes descriptive relativism as lack of acceptance for objective practices. He argues that objective cultural practices are developed from our everyday way of life. He further advocates that these practices are developed from life experience rather than already existing culture. He believes that the moral values of a society are developed with time rather than determined beforehand (Singer 76).
Although many philosophers reject the cultural relativism theory, they accept that although different societies practice conflicting values, the principle is the same. In the Abaluhya community in Eastern Africa, they believe that it is the duty of the eldest son to kill his par...