1. Ruth Benedict 1887 – 1948 Anthropologist by trade.

2. Cultural Relativism Moral truths vary amongst cultures. A version of moral realism – there are truths in ethics. The truth is relative to a way of living (culture).

3. Argument for Relativism Examples: Cataleptics and trances are normal in some groups but abnormal in others. Homosexuality is regarded as normal in some groups but not others. The paranoid tribe. Views of abnormality vary amongst cultures. Behaviors that are seen as normal are not perfectly consistent. ‘Normal’ means ‘acceptable’ or ‘proper’ for a group.

4. There is no raw definition of ‘normal’ It seems that people can be molded to behave in all different kinds of ways. Nothing is just normal. ‘Normal’ is a word used to show disapproval of behaviors. ‘Morally good’ = ‘It is habitual’

5. What ‘normal’ does Normal There are lots of available values. Cultures are ways of picking out (or creating?) and furthering a set of values. This might happen even if the people in the culture do not realize it. Deviants The few deviants in most cultures show that the majority of mankind can be shaped to adopt just about any way of behavior. Deviants are just those who do not adopt the traits a particular group sees as ‘normal’ Find out more at the PowerPoint Getting Started Center (Click the arrow when in Slide Show mode)

6. Formal Argument Argument from Abnormality 1. A culture’s view of normality shows what it values. 2. Different cultures see different behaviors as abnormal. 3. Because of 2, there is no universal conception of normal and abnormal. 4. Thus, there is no universal, culturally independent, value (or set of values). Further Defense of premise 3 1. A culture’s view of normality shows what it values. 2. Different Cultures see different behaviors as abnormal. 3. The majority in all cultures behaves normally. 4. A small minority in each culture behaves abnormally. 5. If there were a universal normal behavior, normal and abnormal would not differ amongst cultures. 6. Since 2 is true, there is no universal normal behavior.

7. Questions Argument Is this a good argument? Is it valid and sound? Re: Soundness – are the premises true? Lessons What should we take from this argument? How should the argument shape our interactions with other cultures? How should the argument shape our evaluation of other arguments?