Final answer:
Ethical relativism posits that ethics are subjective and vary from culture to culture. Normative ethical relativism argues there are no universal moral principles, only cultural norms that are correct within their societal contexts. Critics challenge this, suggesting common ethical principles can exist despite cultural differences, and moral progress is possible.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ethical Relativism and Beliefs about Ethics
According to the school of ethical relativism, the belief about ethics is that ethics are subjective and vary from culture to culture. Ethical relativism is the view that moral judgements and ethical principles are not universal truths but are instead rooted in and contingent upon a society's traditions, customs, beliefs, and norms. This perspective acknowledges that what is deemed ethical in one society may be considered unethical or even illegal in another.
The theory of normative ethical relativism goes further to assert that there are no overarching moral principles that can be applied universally. Therefore, the moral rightness and wrongness of actions varies from one society to another. According to this theory, a culture's dominant ethical viewpoints are inherently correct simply because they are predominant. As a consequence, one society cannot morally judge the practices of another society, particularly when the judgement comes from a minority viewpoint that is different from the society's majority standpoint.
However, the theory of normative ethical relativism is not without criticism. Critics point out that despite cultural differences, there can be fundamental ethical principles that are common across cultures, such as the basic belief that unjustified killing is wrong. Furthermore, critics suggest that reform and moral progress can occur, indicating that the majority view in a culture is not always the correct view and can be subject to change and criticism.