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poplargrove@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

OP worded it badly, but you should be arguing against what they probably mean, not a strawman. Consensus obviously cant mean every single person agreeing, its about what the widespread view in the culture is.

So, how would you reply? Was slavery correct in the past because thats what the cultural view was? If a society is mysognist are they right?

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Cryophilia@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

suppose slavery was condone by some culture. Wouldnt that have made it moral?

By definition, yes.

Southern whites in the pre Civil War period considered slavery to be a moral good.

Other cultures disagreed, to the point that this particular culture was all but destroyed.

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- poplargrove@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  When I asked if slavery was right for them, I wasnt trying to describe their attitudes. I am saying that a consequence of thinking cultural relativism is true is that you must admit that they were correct in the attitudes they held (because their culture agreed it was right).
  
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  - Cryophilia@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    
    a consequence of thinking cultural relativism is true is that you must admit that they were correct in the attitudes they held
    
    No, and that’s stupid.
    
    Let me clarify, because I want to make sure you understand. I’m not saying that I have a different take. I’m not saying that perhaps you misunderstand. I’m saying that’s a fundamentally stupid thing to believe.
    
    The whole point of relativism is that your simplistic concept of ANYTHING being “correct” is wrong. It’s relative. It’s not correct. Nothing is correct. Some people just thought it was correct.
    
    Relativism says there is no objective truth but you’re just for some reason trying to say that relativism believes in objective truth but only for supporting bad things. It’s a ridiculous, childish take on a philosophy and I’m having trouble understanding how you could come to that conclusion. It has the intellectual rigor of “I am rubber you are glue”.
    
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    poplargrove@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    Cool down.
    
    You are thinking of nihilism (specifically error theory it seems - that there are no moral facts and people are wrong for thinking there are) because relativism (whether relative to subject or culture) doesnt deny that there are moral truths, just that they are only correct for the individual or culture that holds them.
    
    Cultural relativism: The view that an act is morally right just because it is allowed by the guiding ideals of the society in which it is performed, and immoral just because it is forbidden by those ideals.
    
    Ethical subjectivism: The view that an act is morally right just because (a) I approve of it, or (b) my commitments allow it. An action is wrong just because (a) I disapprove of it, or (b) my commitments forbid it.
    
    Same book as the other comment of mine you replied to.
    
    So, no, I didnt get it wrong. And the consequences I pointed out do follow from cultural relativism.
    
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