Homework #2 - Sample Answer

Identify and explain the way in which Common Cultural Relativism is incoherent

     Common Cultural Relativism (CCR) is incoherent in three different ways.  First, thesis 6 is not compatible with thesis 4.  Thesis 4 denies that there are any "universal truths" in ethics.  But thesis 6 seems to assert a universal moral truth that applies to everyone -- it says that all of us morally should be tolerant toward the practices of other cultures.
     Second, thesis 5 is not compatible with thesis 4.  Again, thesis 4 says there a no universal truths in ethics, but thesis 5 implies that that there is.  For thesis 5 says that it is a universal truth that everyone is morally required to do what his society's moral code requires him to do.
     The third conflict among the theses of CCR occurs between 5 and 6.  Thesis 5 says that everyone should be more tolerant.  Thesis 4 says that we should do whatever our society's moral code says we should do.  But what if our society's moral code requires us to be intolerant toward the practices of other cultures?  In such a case, thesis 5 would imply that tolerance is wrong, and thesis 6 would imply that tolerance is not wrong.  This is a contradiction.