ETHC 445 Week 1 Cultural Relativism and Moral Action

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Chamberlain University

ETHC-445 Principles of Ethics

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Date

Week 1 Assignment: Cultural Relativism and Moral Action

Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare Settings

Healthcare professionals frequently face ethical dilemmas, especially in multicultural and religiously diverse clinical environments. These dilemmas often arise when professional responsibilities conflict with the cultural or spiritual beliefs of patients or colleagues. McLennon et al. (2013) explain that ethical tension for nurses may emerge when their professional judgment about what is right differs from the perspectives of other healthcare providers or the values of patients. In such cases, it is essential that nurses act with ethical sensitivity, professionalism, and respect for diverse worldviews to ensure quality patient care.

Personal Experience and Cultural Relativism

A personal encounter during my teenage years illustrates how cultural relativism shapes moral decisions. A Hindu friend visited my home along with other classmates. While I, as a Muslim, offered food and water as a gesture of hospitality, she declined to eat or drink. Her decision was rooted in her cultural belief that she should not consume food in the home of someone belonging to a different religion. Even though she appeared hungry, she adhered to her cultural and religious principles.

From the perspective of subjective moralism, her actions were morally justified because morality, in this view, is determined by an individual’s personal judgment. According to this framework, right and wrong are not universal but instead shaped by the values of each individual. Thus, her decision reflected her personal moral truth.

Cultural Relativism in Practice

On the other hand, cultural relativism suggests that morality is defined by the norms and values of a community or cultural group. Lynch (2019) describes cultural relativism as an approach that interprets cultural practices based on their own systems of meaning rather than comparing them to external standards. From this perspective, my friend’s refusal to eat was morally valid because it aligned with her cultural traditions.

In contrast, within my cultural framework, it is customary that a guest should not leave a home without at least sharing food or water. However, applying cultural relativism required me to acknowledge that my friend’s cultural values held equal weight in determining what was right for her. Rachels and Rachels (2019) emphasize that different societies follow different moral codes, and these codes define what is acceptable or unacceptable behavior within those communities. By respecting her choice, I honored her values while setting aside my own expectations.

Reflection on Objective Morality

Although I believe an objective moral truth exists in most situations, I recognize that cultural and religious diversity often shapes moral decision-making. In this case, my friend’s choice represented her strong commitment to her cultural values. Even though I personally felt that she could have at least accepted water, I respected her right to remain faithful to her beliefs. This experience underscored the importance of balancing personal moral views with an appreciation for cultural diversity.

Table 1

Cultural Relativism and Moral Perspectives in the Scenario

References

Lynch, W. T. (2019). Between kin selection and cultural relativism: Cultural evolution and the origin of inequality. Perspectives on Science, 27(2), 278–315. https://doi.org/10.1162/posc_a_00308

McLennon, S. M., Uhrich, M., Lasiter, S., Chamness, A. R., & Helft, P. R. (2013). Oncology nurses’ narratives about ethical dilemmas and prognosis-related communication in advanced cancer patients. Cancer Nursing, 36(2), 114–121. https://doi.org/10.1097/ncc.0b013e31825f4dc8

ETHC 445 Week 1 Cultural Relativism and Moral Action

Rachels, S., & Rachels, J. (2019). The elements of moral philosophy (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.