Subjective moral relativists contend that morality is wholly arbitrary and contingent upon a person’s ideals, personal convictions, and cultural upbringing. Given that the plastic surgeon hails from a nation where female circumcision is a common practice, some could argue that, in this instance, his actions are morally justified from a cultural standpoint (Plakias, 2019). Subjective moral relativism holds that morality is a subjective concept that differs from person to person and has no universal moral principles.
Depending on their ethical position, one may or may not agree with the subjective moral relativist viewpoint in this instance. Some would contend that people should be free to practice their cultural customs, even if they appear immoral to outsiders, and that cultural diversity should be honoured (Plakias, 2019). Some might counter that despite cultural variations, some practices, like female circumcision, violate fundamental human rights and should be universally banned.
Cultural Moral Relativism
According to a cultural, moral relativist, morality is shaped by the cultural context in which it is practiced. They might argue that, in this instance, female circumcision should be regarded as morally acceptable within the context of the plastic surgeon’s society, as it is a culturally accepted procedure (Plakias, 2019). Cultural, moral relativism highly values cultural diversity and contends that outsiders should not force their moral standards on people from different cultures.
One may or may not agree with the cultural relativist viewpoint, depending on one’s ethical position. Others contend that moral relativism, in which any behavior is acceptable if deemed the norm, might result from cultural relativism (Plakias, 2019). Cultural relativism’s detractors frequently assert that there ought to be universal moral precepts that apply to all cultures and that cultural relativism can be used to defend immoral acts like female circumcision and slavery.
General Criticisms of Cultural Relativism
There are various general criticisms of cultural relativism as a moral approach. First is cultural imperialism, which is seen as cultural imperialism since it implies that outsiders should not judge one’s cultural practices and values (Chandrashekhar, 2022). However, this can have a negative impact as it can lead to accepting values and practices that harm others or violate human rights. This could highly affect the principle of universal human rights.
The second criticism is the lack of moral progress. According to cultural relativism, moral progress is considered impossible due to a lack of objective standards to judge moral development. This stance can potentially hinder solving social injustices and human rights abuse (Collier & Stingl, 2019). The third criticism is cultural diversity versus fundamental human rights. Cultural relativism frequently prioritizes cultural diversity over the protection of fundamental human rights. Some who oppose particular procedures, such as female circumcision, contend that these fundamental rights should be violated and that such practices should be universally denounced.
Objective Moral Truth
There is much disagreement over whether there is an objective moral truth in this situation. Arguments exist for and against the universal applicability of certain fundamental moral concepts, such as preserving bodily autonomy and avoiding harm. According to this viewpoint, female circumcision is objectively wrong since it harms the girl involved physically and psychologically (Berdyaev, 2023). Others contend that determining an objective moral truth is challenging, and moral evaluations are significantly impacted by cultural, historical, and personal elements. According to this viewpoint, moral truth might differ substantially depending on the individual’s viewpoint.
In summary, helping a plastic surgeon conduct female circumcision presents complex moral issues about cultural relativism, subjectivity, and the presence of objective moral truth. The responses to these queries will vary depending on the ethical framework each individual adheres to and how much weight they give to cultural diversity instead of human rights for everyone.
References
Berdyaev, N. (2023). Philosophic truth and the moral truth of the intelligentsia. Landmarks, pp. 3–22. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003419280-1
Chandrashekhar, R. (2022). Cultural relativism. Encyclopedia of Sexual Psychology and Behavior, 1-2. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_765-1
Collier, J., & Stingl, M. (2019). Natural moral values and moral progress. Evolutionary Moral Realism, 109-128. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429299803-6
Plakias, A. (2019). Moral relativism and moral disagreement. The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Relativism, pp. 155–164. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351052306-17
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