Sunday, 24 May 2009

'Pretended Neutrality' in Moral Relativism

Does moral relativism support the view that we should be tolerant of other cultures?

(1) The claim that 'we should be tolerant' is itself a moral claim. It does not operate over above the field of moral discourse in a neutral and 'objective' sphere of inquiry

(2) Both tolerance and intolerance must be tolerated by the truly tolerant. If the tolerant fails to tolerate the intolerant he/she becomes the intolerant

(3) 'Tolerance' is a by-product of a particular moral locus- of Western liberal democracies! Western multiculturalism is not truly neutral. It privileges certain values. Tolerance and openness are rooted in Western modernity.

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