Final answer:
Haidt's cross-cultural survey suggests that moral foundations vary across cultures. Descriptive ethical relativism and normative ethical relativism support this view, but there are philosophical debates to find a unified theory of universal morals.
Step-by-step explanation:
Haidt's Cross-Cultural Survey
Jonathan Haidt's cross-cultural survey of morality highlights the complex nature of ethics and values across different societies. According to Haidt's research, it is observed that moral foundations vary across cultures, reflecting the concept of descriptive ethical relativism. This idea posits that moral codes, traditions, and principles differ markedly among societies, a point supported by extensive anthropological studies.
Normative Ethical Relativism further elaborates on this notion, suggesting that each culture has its own set of moral rules, and these rules are inherently correct due to their cultural prevalence. This perspective challenges the idea of universal morality, proposing that what is considered moral in one culture may be immoral in another. Nevertheless, despite these differences, some believe that certain fundamental ethical principles could be universal, such as the basic right to life.
Philosophers, such as Socrates and Sir William David Ross, have debated the concept of moral absolutism versus cultural relativism, striving to find a middle ground that acknowledges both individual cultural values and potential common moral grounds.