An Argument for Moral Relativism,” David B. Wong
1. Looking back to the previous reading on ks the opposite. How can pluralism deal with these kinds of disagreements within societies? Discuss specifically in relation to the points Wong makes in the podcast interview.
4. One controversial topic that frequently comes up when discussing moral relativism is the practice of female “circumcision”, which involves removing some or all of a young girl’s external genitalia, often with crude instruments and no anesthetic. Here is a link to the World Health Organization’s fact sheet on the practice. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/ Some argue that it would be wrong for groups outside of the practicing cultures, like the World Health Organization, to step in, arguing that the rightness or wrongness of actions can only be judged within the practicing culture itself. Others argue that outside groups have a moral obligation to end the practice of female circumcision, saying that it is a human rights violation that needs to end.
5. Where do you think David Wong would stand on this issue? How would his kind of moderate ethical relativism approach this problem? Do you agree with this type of approach? Explain.
