The Challenge of Moral Progress for Cultural Relativism: The Existence of Objective Moral Standards Examined

How does the phenomenon of moral progress pose a problem for Cultural Relativism?

If there are no moral facts (cultural relativism), moral progress is impossible because to say there has been improvement, there must be an objective standard from which we can improve.

Cultural Relativism is the philosophical position that states that all moral truths are relative to culture or society. Therefore, what is considered moral in one culture may not be deemed moral in another.

However, the phenomenon of moral progress poses a significant problem for Cultural Relativism because it suggests that moral standards have indeed changed over cultures, and some moral beliefs have been discarded or replaced by more improved moral standards. For instance, cultural norms that allowed the enslavement of another human being were once considered acceptable, but it is now widely accepted as immoral.

Moral progress implies that there is a universal standard of right and wrong, which exists independently of the cultural, social, and historical backgrounds. It suggests that moral standards are not merely a product of a particular cultural or social environment, but rather matters of rational scrutiny, reflection, and argumentation.

Therefore, if there is the possibility of moral progress, then there must be objective moral truths that exist independently of any particular culture or society. However, Cultural Relativism holds that moral truth is relative to a specific culture, which means that there cannot be any objective moral truths.

Thus, the phenomenon of moral progress poses a severe challenge for Cultural Relativism. It challenges the idea that moral standards can be relative to culture, and instead, it suggests the existence of objective moral standards that can be discovered through reason and reflection.

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