UOM Cultural Relativism Questions

For required quotes, use the original assigned Benedict and King readings, not the editor’s introductions in our course text, the course videos/notes, or any other sources. For Benedict, the original reading starts on the page of Chapter 13 that reads “Modern social anthropology has become…” For King, the original reading starts on the page of Chapter 18 that reads “My Dear Fellow Clergyman…”

Book: Ethics The essential writings by Gordon Marino.

1. Choose a social issue that is currently debated (e.g., minimum wage, gun control, marijuana legalization, etc.). Define the ethical theory of cultural relativism and describe what it would imply about the ethics of your chosen issue. Give and explain a direct quote from the Ruth Benedict reading as part of your response. Put the quote in quotation marks and give an in–text citation as (Benedict, 1934/2010, para. ___).

2. Sketch Martin Luther King, Jr.’s reasons for rejecting cultural relativism and affirming a common moral law that applies to all people. Then, describe what he might say about the ethics of your chosen social issue. As part of your response, give and explain a direct quote from his letter, using quotation marks and the in–text citation (King, 1963/2010, para. ____).

3. Should we accept cultural relativism as the correct ethical theory, modify it in some specific way, or reject it as unacceptable? Develop an argument in defense of one of these alternatives. Draw on ideas from questions 1 and 2 and the example of your chosen social issue, as well as general points from the lesson.

Reminder: Do not copy or reword another student’s answers. Also, use quotation marks and in–text citations when you draw word–for–word from any reading, notes, or other sources. Let’s aim for a plagiarism–free course.