Abstract: Chapter 8 Two Senses of Cultural Relativity Michael Maratsos, Michael MaratsosSearch for more papers by this author Michael Maratsos, Michael MaratsosSearch for more papers by this author Book Editor(s):Maria D. Sera, Maria D. SeraSearch for more papers by this authorStephanie M. Carlson, Stephanie M. CarlsonSearch for more papers by this authorMichael Maratsos, Michael MaratsosSearch for more papers by this author First published: 28 October 2016 https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119301981.ch8 AboutPDFPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShareShare a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Summary This chapter distinguishes two senses of cultural relativism and discusses their different moral implications. The first sense, called verstehen relativism, means an attempt to understand and "feel one's way into" another culture, a process that can also produce a deeper appreciation of one's own culture. The second sense is called here egalitarian or strong relativism, which holds that cultures are to be judged by their own standards, and one culture is not to be viewed as superior to another overall or in any aspect. Arguments are given that egalitarian relativism is both logically inconsistent and psychologically undermined by the fact that cultural practices and norms often work for the benefit of more powerful subgroups within the culture. Difficulties of formulating universal standards are discussed. It is concluded that strong cultural relativism is often unjustified, but cultural comparisons can be made only argumentatively rather than by universal algorithm. Minnesota Symposia on Child Psychology: Culture and Developmental Systems, Volume 38 RelatedInformation
Publication Year: 2016
Publication Date: 2016-10-28
Language: en
Type: other
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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