Customs and Ethical Relativism

Ethical Relativism is the view that values are relative to and reducible to conventions, customs or laws. It is right because the customs say it is right. Ethical relativism looks like encouraging the virtue of tolerance of differences among different groups, but it has limits. Ethical relativism might seem attractive because it is easily confused with other view that are plausible. 1. Descriptive relativism is a statement that beliefs and attitudes about values differ from culture to culture. 2. Ethical relationalism means moral judgement should be made in relation to factors that can vary from case to case. Those factors include customs, conventions, and codes. 3. Ethical pluralism means that customs can have great moral significance in deciding how we should act.

Religion and Divine Command Ethics There are important connections between morality and religion in the lives of many people. 1. They are related historically. 2. For many people, there are important psychological connections between moral and religious beliefs. Religious faith and hope imply trust: trust that we can receive insight into what should govern right action and can be sustained in that action. 3. Religions sometimes set a higher moral standard than is conventional. Many religions emphasise particular ideals of character, e.g Christianity centres on the virtues of hope, faith and love; Buddhism emphasises compassion, Judaism on virtue of tzedakah (righteousness) and Islam on ihsan (translated as either piety or the pursuit of excellence). Divine command ethics claims that an act is right simply means it is commanded by God, and it is wrong if forbidden by God.

Self-Interest and Ethical Egoism

Ethical egoism is a view that attempts to reduce moral values to selfinterest. Ethical is a theory about morality and egoism is about sole duty of each individual in maximising his/her own good (well being, happiness).
Psychological Egoism Psychological egoism is a view that believes that people are psychologically incapable of caring about anyone but themselves. People are only motivated by what they believe is good for themselves in some respect. Predominant egoism is a view that the strongest desires for most people most of the time is self-seeking. Mixed motives is a combination of self-concern and concern for others.

Compensation and Self-Interest

Compensation values, such as money, power, and recognition, can be pursued for the good of others, and play a major role in motivating and guiding human conduct.