Relativism and Morality

Relativism and Morality

Justin Smith

Raeven Chandler

SOC 120

July 8, 2013

Moral decisions are made by individuals all over the world every day. Some of these may be big, small, right or wrong. After carefully reading and analyzing Goodman’s article, I determined that I do agree that certain areas discussed in the article are simply wrong. He argues that every person whether it is a man, woman, boy, or girl has the right to be free of inhuman treatment. I believe all people are equal and have the right to live their own lives and when injustices are committed against someone the violator’s rights should be taken away. In this article “Some Moral Minima,” Goodman discusses the moral issues of slavery, genocide, terrorism, murder, rape, polygamy, and cliterodectomy and their challenges to relativism.

Genocide, famine, and germ warfare are the first areas discussed in the article. According to Goodman (2010), “Genocide is uglier that murder because it targets individuals as members of a group” (p.88). This could eliminate an entire race or culture. Some countries used politically induced famine to reduce their population and germ warfare was included in WWI to destroy the enemy. The decisions of these military leaders and political groups are examples of relativism, because they believe the choices they made were morally right. I agree with Goodman along with most of the world this is inhuman and simply wrong.

Next, Goodman discusses the moral issues of terrorism, hostages, and child warriors. The article states, “Terrorists explode the values they claim to fight for. Their victims’ blood blurs and blots whatever ends were meant to justify the carnage (Goodman, 2010, p. 89). A suicide bomber in Iraq is an example of terrorism. Terrorists walk, drive, and fly into crowded buildings or markets and kill themselves along with many strangers. Somehow, they are trained to believe they are pleasing their God and proving themselves worthy....