ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM &
RELATIVISM
BY: SOUMYANATH BEURIA
SOURAV KUMAR RAO
SUBMITTED TO:
ASST PROF. TULIKA SINGH
ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM
 Ethical subjectivism is the meta-ethical view
which claims that :Ethical sentences express
propositions.Some such propositions are true.
The truth or falsity of such propositions is
ineliminably dependent on the attitudes of
people.
TYPES OF SUBJECTIVISM
• Normative Subjectivism
• Meta-Ethical Subjectivism
NORMATIVE SUBJECTIVISM
• Normative subjectivism allows that moral
judgements can be true or false.There is
truth in ethics,but no objective truth.A moral
judgement is true just in case it accurately
reports the sentiments of the speaker.
• Sincerity is the mark of ethical truth.
• A moral judgement would be false if the speaker
who utters it is not honestly reporting
his or her beliefs.
META –ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM
• Meta –ethical subjectivism claims that normative theories,
and moral judgements in general,cannot be true.
• According to meta-ethical subjectivism,the purpose of
moral judgement is not to report personal or social
attitudes,but rather to express one’s feelings or voice one’s
commitments.
ARGUMENTS OF ETHICAL
SUBJECTIVISM
FOR
• Ethical subjectivism is compatible with our experience of living
in a pluralistic society.
• Ethical subjectivism seems very tolerant.
AGAINST
• Ethical subjectivism is in conflict with some of our most
fundamental moral intutions.
• It is impossible to disagree about ethical questions in a
genuine manner.
• If ethical subjectivism is accurate,then our ethical judgement
are correct.
ETHICAL RELATIVISM
• Ethical Relativism is the theory that holds that
morality is relative to the norms of one’s
culture.That is, whether an action is right or
wrong depends on the moral norms of the
society in which it is practiced.The same
action may be morally right in one society
but be morally wrong in another.
ARGUMENTS OF ETHICAL
RELATIVISM
• Argument -1
“Since cultures and individuals differ
in certain moral pratices,there are no objective
moral values”.
• Objections on this argument:
1. There is a right answer
2. Differences in pratices not values
3. Differences in apperance
• Arguments -2
“Since ethical relativism
promotes tolerance of certain cultural
pratices,ethical relativism is a good
thing”
• Objections on this argument:
1. Tolerance is absolute value
2. Tolerance is not virtue here
THANK YOU

Ethical subjectivism & relativism

  • 1.
    ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM & RELATIVISM BY:SOUMYANATH BEURIA SOURAV KUMAR RAO SUBMITTED TO: ASST PROF. TULIKA SINGH
  • 2.
    ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM  Ethicalsubjectivism is the meta-ethical view which claims that :Ethical sentences express propositions.Some such propositions are true. The truth or falsity of such propositions is ineliminably dependent on the attitudes of people.
  • 3.
    TYPES OF SUBJECTIVISM •Normative Subjectivism • Meta-Ethical Subjectivism
  • 4.
    NORMATIVE SUBJECTIVISM • Normativesubjectivism allows that moral judgements can be true or false.There is truth in ethics,but no objective truth.A moral judgement is true just in case it accurately reports the sentiments of the speaker. • Sincerity is the mark of ethical truth. • A moral judgement would be false if the speaker who utters it is not honestly reporting his or her beliefs.
  • 5.
    META –ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM •Meta –ethical subjectivism claims that normative theories, and moral judgements in general,cannot be true. • According to meta-ethical subjectivism,the purpose of moral judgement is not to report personal or social attitudes,but rather to express one’s feelings or voice one’s commitments.
  • 6.
    ARGUMENTS OF ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM FOR •Ethical subjectivism is compatible with our experience of living in a pluralistic society. • Ethical subjectivism seems very tolerant. AGAINST • Ethical subjectivism is in conflict with some of our most fundamental moral intutions. • It is impossible to disagree about ethical questions in a genuine manner. • If ethical subjectivism is accurate,then our ethical judgement are correct.
  • 7.
    ETHICAL RELATIVISM • EthicalRelativism is the theory that holds that morality is relative to the norms of one’s culture.That is, whether an action is right or wrong depends on the moral norms of the society in which it is practiced.The same action may be morally right in one society but be morally wrong in another.
  • 8.
    ARGUMENTS OF ETHICAL RELATIVISM •Argument -1 “Since cultures and individuals differ in certain moral pratices,there are no objective moral values”. • Objections on this argument: 1. There is a right answer 2. Differences in pratices not values 3. Differences in apperance
  • 9.
    • Arguments -2 “Sinceethical relativism promotes tolerance of certain cultural pratices,ethical relativism is a good thing” • Objections on this argument: 1. Tolerance is absolute value 2. Tolerance is not virtue here
  • 10.