Final answer:
The statement is false; ethical relativism believes in cultural context for morality, unlike utilitarianism, which assesses actions by their consequences. Deontology values the act and adherence to duty, while virtue ethics emphasizes character.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that relative ethics is only interested in the consequences and not the act itself is false. Relative ethics, or more accurately termed ethical relativism, posits that morality is relative to the norms of one's culture and that no universal standard can judge right or wrong. However, there is a branch of ethics known as consequentialism, particularly utilitarianism, which holds that the morality of an action is solely determined by its outcomes or consequences.
Utilitarianism, as proposed by philosophers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, asserts that an action is right if it produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Conversely, deontology, another ethical theory founded by Immanuel Kant, suggests that rightness comes from following one's duties or rules, making the act itself important rather than its consequences. Additionally, virtue ethics focuses on the character traits that enable individuals to lead a morally good life.