Question.3279 - Ethical relativism holds that ethical values are relative to particular people, cultures, or times. Relativism denies that there can be any rationally justified or objective ethical judgments. When there are ethical disagreements between people or cultures, the ethical relativist concludes that there is no way to resolve that dispute and prove one side is right or more reasonable than the other. Consider Edward Liddy’s description of the AIG bonuses as “distasteful.” Ordinarily we think of matters of taste as personal, subjective things. You enjoy spicy Indian food, while I prefer simple Midwestern meat and potatoes. It is all a matter of personal taste. Liddy may have found the bonuses distasteful, but others like the taste in food; it all depends on or is all relative to one’s own background, culture and personal opinions. Do you believe that there is no way to decide what is ethically right or wrong? Imagine a teacher returns an assignment to you with the grade of “F”. When you ask for an explanation you are told that frankly the teacher does not believe that people “like you” are capable of doing good work in this field. When you object that this is unfair and wrong the teacher offers a relativist explanation. “Fairness is a matter of personal opinion,” the professor explains. “Who determines what is fair or unfair?” you ask. Your teacher claims that his view of what is fair is as valid as any other. Because everyone is entitled to their own personal opinion, he is entitled to fail you since, in his personal opinion you do not deserve to succeed. Discuss the following questions related to this scenario: 1. Would you accept this explanation and be content with your failing grade? If not, how would you defend your own, opposing view? 2. Are there any relevant facts on which you would rely on to support your claim? 3. What values are involved in this dispute? 4. What alternatives are available to you? 5. Besides you and your teacher, are there any other people who are or should be involved in this situation, any other stakeholders? 6. What reasons would you offer to the dean in an appeal to have the grade changed? 7. What consequences would this professor’s practice have on education? 8. If reasoning and logical persuasion do not work, how else could this dispute be resolved? Other than reasoning and logical persuasion, what is the major alternative for resolving conflicts? Of course, the most common alternatives have been force and violence.
Answer Below:
If I would have been in place of the student then definitely I would have not accepted the explanation and would become content with the failing grade because no one can state whether the people are capable of doing good work or not. Here the teacher believed that the people like him are not capable of doing the “good work” which is not ethical on the part of the teacher, a teacher is regarded as a guide, a philosopher and a friend too so if the pe3rson is not capable of doing the good work “he” is supposed to teach him instead of giving such relativist comment. Everybody born on this earth has a unique Quality and so anyone can do good work in any field. Nobody comes prepared or learned person from their mother’s womb; they learn it from their parents who are regarded as the first and the foremost teacher of the child or from their teacher. So, such kind of behavior is not accepted from the Teacher as it is not ethical. Yes, I would rely on to support of my claim because it is suitable for any student or rather for any person to ask about their performance. Rather we can call it to be our right to get the answer for our doing. So, if the student has asked the Question for his grade “F” the Teacher frankly replies him that people like he is not capable of doing good work because this is not ethical on the part of the Teacher. She could have behaved in an ethical manner by highlighting the drawbacks of the student any not by giving him any relativist remark. She could have answered the student politely and should have given him tips to improve his work. So, according to me this kind of behavior does not suit a profession of a teacher. The value of Fairness, Truthfulness and Ethics are involved in this Dispute between the student and the teacher because the student has asked about the fairness of the grade and the teacher gives him a relativist comment stating him that “Fairness is a matter of personal opinion,” Fairness is not a matter of personal opinion, one should have a proper justification towards a fairness or the transparency of the matter. Things are fair only when they are associated with the ethics. For example throwing garbage on the road is not fair because no ethical value are associated with it, because people don’t regard it fair, may be people who do this nuisance work enjoys it or do it but it can’t be regarded as fair merely because he likes to do that kind of work. One need to be truthful in the deed which he commits or perform and it should be fair enough forming the point of other party also. Moreover, it should be backed by the values of ethics. The other alternatives which is available to me is that I could have compared my work with the other classmates of mine or else could have asked other to go through my work so that, I could have a knowledge about my work and then I would again pursue my teacher and would ask her about the wrong things or the mistakes which I have committed in my work. And, would surely make sure not to commit any such sort of mistakes yet again in the future. Yes beside me and my teachers the other person who should have been involved in this dispute are the classmate and the other teacher. I would have asked the Dean to get my work reviewed again and then would have asked him for changing my grade. This kind of practice by the teacher would have negative effect on the Education system. This dispute could have resolved through the modesty and truthfulness of the teacher. And, not by force or violence because this kind of behavior is not ethical.More Articles From Ethics
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