Moral Relativism: Wheels within wheels

“Who are you to say what is right or wrong?” is the question put to anyone who suggests that there might be universal moral values, or who criticises another culture’s moral practices. Post-colonial guilt and resentment inspire a belief in Moral Relativism – the idea that ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘ought’ and ‘ought not’, only have meaning and weight according to the usage of whatever tradition they arose in. Moral judgement is therefore only possible within a particular state, culture, religion or group, and not from outside it. But does moral relativism have sense itself?

Jane O’Grady will discuss this, at this free talk – open to all – hosted by the Philosophical Society of England.