Moral Universalism

A Moral Universalism is a meta-ethical theory of moral universal norms that some system of ethics applies universally.

• Context:
  • It can (typically) apply to all individuals regardless of their culture, race, sex, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
  • It can (often) be contrasted with moral relativism, which holds that moral judgments are valid only relative to specific cultural or individual standards.
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  • It can range from being a value monist perspective, advocating for a single ethical system, to a value pluralist approach, accepting multiple coexisting ethical values.
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  • It can be associated with moral realism, where moral facts exist independently of human beliefs or attitudes.
  • It can be viewed as supporting global human rights standards, where certain ethical principles are deemed universally applicable.
  • It can be criticized for potentially imposing a dominant culture's values on diverse populations, leading to ethical imperialism.
  • It can be discussed in the context of global justice, where universal moral principles are considered in the distribution of resources and opportunities.
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• Example(s):
  • a Kantian Ethical System that argues for universal moral laws based on reason, such as the Categorical Imperative.
  • an Ideal Observer Theory where moral truths are determined by the judgments of a perfectly rational and impartial observer.
  • utilitarianism that, while universalist, are not necessarily absolutist.
  • cognitivist moral theories, such as ideal observer theory and divine command theory, and non-cognitivist theories like universal prescriptivism.
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• Counter-Example(s):
  • Moral Relativism, which posits that moral values are not universal but are instead relative to the norms of specific cultures or individuals.
  • Moral Nihilism, which denies the existence of any universal moral truths or values.
• See: Universal Prescriptivism, Meta-Ethical, Ethics, Universality (Philosophy), Culture, Race (Classification of Human Beings), Sex, Religion, Nationality, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Moral Nihilism.

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References

2024

• (Wikipedia, 2024) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_universalism Retrieved:2024-8-25.
  • Moral universalism (also called moral objectivism) is the meta-ethical position that some system of ethics, or a universal ethic, applies universally, that is, for "all similarly situated individuals", regardless of culture, race, sex, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other distinguishing feature. Moral universalism is opposed to moral nihilism and moral relativism. However, not all forms of moral universalism are absolutist, nor are they necessarily value monist; many forms of universalism, such as utilitarianism, are non-absolutist, and some forms, such as that of Isaiah Berlin, may be value pluralist.In addition to the theories of moral realism, moral universalism includes other cognitivist moral theories, such as the subjectivist ideal observer theory and divine command theory, and also the non-cognitivist moral theory of universal prescriptivism.

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