Understanding Cultural Encounters, Ethics, and Morality

Perspectives on Cultural Encounters

When meeting people from other cultures, even if we acknowledge that no one is inherently strange, differences can sometimes feel pronounced. Encounters with individuals outside our own social group can lead to certain behaviors:

• Ethnocentrism: An individual exhibiting this behavior elevates their own societal values, believing them to be unique and superior to those of other societies.
• Exoticism: This behavior involves idealizing another culture while devaluing one's own. It focuses on the perceived 'otherness' without necessarily valuing the culture authentically, often accompanied by self-criticism of one's own culture.
• Relativism: This perspective holds that all customs and values are equally valid within their own cultural context. Individuals adopting this view refrain from judging other cultures, believing there is no absolute standard or superior culture.

Ethical Dilemmas and Considerations

Consider these ethical issues:

• I performed poorly on a test, and my mother gets upset when I don't pass. Should I tell her the truth, even though it will cause her distress?
• I witnessed a robbery and am scheduled to give a statement. Minutes before leaving, I receive a threatening phone call. What should I do? Should I tell the truth or lie?

Common Factors in Ethical Problems

What is common between these cases? Both scenarios present problems involving other people. The solutions chosen affect not only the individual making the decision but others as well. Ethical problems are situations where the resolution impacts other people. Decisions made in these contexts constitute moral conduct, which can be judged as good or bad. Actions without consequences for others typically fall outside the scope of moral evaluation. While ethical guidelines can inform our decisions, they don't always provide a definitive solution.

Distinguishing Ethics and Morality

Often, the terms "ethics" and "morality" are used interchangeably to describe actions considered good, honest, or right. However, there is a distinction:

Morality Defined

Morality refers to the set of standards considered fair and binding within a society or group. These standards regulate conduct and can vary across time and cultures. We often use these moral standards when judging the behavior of others.

Moral vs. Legal Standards

It's important to differentiate between moral and legal standards. Legal rules are established by the state, are mandatory, and carry penalties for noncompliance. Moral standards, conversely, are typically unwritten and do not involve formal penalties, though they strongly influence behavior and social judgment.

Ethics Defined

Ethics, on the other hand, is the philosophical reflection on morality. It involves questioning why certain rules are considered fair and binding. Ethics goes beyond merely describing people's behavior; it seeks to provide reasoned arguments for how people should behave, examining the principles underlying moral judgments.