by L.C.

Created on: January 26, 2011   Last Updated: January 28, 2011

Moral relativism is the philosophical position that morals differ between individuals. This is particularly the case when individuals are separated by both space and time.  Morals become sociologically relative in that they depend upon the culture in which an individual is born and raised and the time frame during which their life takes place. Several simple examples illustrate this. Less than fifty years ago, in most societies it was unheard of for a woman and man to live together before marriage. This would have been seen as scandalous and highly immoral. However, in modern Western societies co-habitation prior to marriage is increasingly popular. Inversely, while in the past women were seen as objects to be used by men for various means, today sexist behaviour is generally seen as immoral and unacceptable in most Western societies. Other societies, however, are still governed by patriarchal concepts.

The notion of moral relativism raises a key question: how do we ground morals? If each person has a different understanding of what is moral and immoral, how can a single set of actions be agreed upon as moral? This affects both individuals and societies. When the state creates laws by which citizens must abide, they are effectively deciding which acts are to be considered moral in their country. In terms of the individual, one’s memories, knowledge, reasoning, and understanding of information can affect one’s judgment of morality. Consider a person raised in a white supremacist household. This person is taught to fear other races, and to humiliate, abuse, or otherwise demean those who are not white. Some might view this person as completely immoral. However, this person has been taught and genuinely believes that other races must be subservient to the white race, and to do otherwise is immoral. Who is right? How can we know? Again, how do we ground our morals?

Several philosophers have attempted to tackle this problem. One of the most popular moral relativists is the existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre. Sartre’s position was that human beings are alone in the universe, and must therefore invent their own moral systems and rely entirely on themselves for moral guidance.  In Existentialism is a Humanism, Sartre maintains that “No rule of general morality can show you what you ought to do: no signs are vouchsafed in this world.”  For Sartre, and also Kant before him, individuals create their own moral laws based off the

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