Reference no: EM133018724

Moral Relativism

Moral relativism is the theory that no universal truths exist across cultures but instead, what is right or wrong must be defined in each society. Inside a particular culture, some things are right, others wrong, but nothing is wrong across all. This theory, popular in anthropology, initially seems attractive when students study various peoples around the world and different times in history. But it also has flaws, and medicine is one place where such flaws can be exhibited. Consider that medicine under the Nazi regime in Germany was anti-Semitic, racist, and contemptuous of people with disabilities. As a result, physicians led the movement to "cleanse" the Aryan race of undesirable, "useless eaters," leading to the Holocaust and deaths of 6 million people. As described in Chapter 9, Nazi physicians also conducted horrible medical experiments on captives. A moral relativist must accept the view that we cannot condemn Nazi physi- cians for such actions. The trials at Nuremberg were a farce. Inside Nazi culture, the Holocaust was not wrong but right. Only from an external, objective standard of morality can such actions be condemned.

Describe the framework, how it works in specific situations, what are the pitfalls and advantages.

How would your chosen framework work as decision making model for you?

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