Subjectivism, Objectivism, and Relativism in Moral Philosophy

Criticisms of Subjectivism and Objectivism

Radical subjectivism would lead us to accept that two contrary judgments about the same thing have the same validity. Against subjectivism, one can argue that every age and every culture has a scale of values shared, to a greater or lesser extent, by all members of society. It does not seem sensible to think that every individual has their own level that differs from that of other citizens.

Regarding objectivism, we can counter that many values have a social basis and are accepted by consensus or collective agreement.

The Perspective of Relativism

Relativism argues that due to the absence of basic and universal agreements about what is important, or what is right and wrong, one cannot talk about absolute values, but only about "my values" or "our values."

For the relativist, the realization that every age, race, people, and culture has its own scale of values leads to the conclusion that values cannot claim universal certainty. Something is only good and right here and now, but perhaps not tomorrow or elsewhere. To the relativist, this seems a reasonable position because it is respectful of all opinions.

However, this stance leads us to accept that two contrary judgments about the same thing end up having the same validity. Against relativism, many authors have pointed out that the fact that value judgments change from one era to another is not due to all values being relative, but rather to the discovery of new values and the reorganization or redefinition of existing ones.

The Genesis of Moral Values

The emergence or genesis of moral values occurs differently in society and the individual:

• In society: Values emerge naturally. Humans live in society and receive influences from the moment they become part of it. In turn, society must ensure that the conduct of its members is guided by values that facilitate community life.
• In the individual: The individual, having moved past a purely instinctive nature, begins the production of a more human dimension, accepting community values to varying degrees and forging their own.

The assimilation of moral values is a fundamental part of the process of humanization.