Final answer:
Incommensurability in value theory refers to the concept where various values or goods cannot be directly compared due to the lack of a common measure, leading to moral pluralism, which recognizes a diversity of intrinsic values and moral frameworks. Moral pluralism differs from moral relativism in that it does not assert that all moral frameworks are equally valid.
Step-by-step explanation:
Incommensurability refers to situations where two or more values, goods, or phenomena cannot be compared because there is no common standard of measurement or evaluation that applies to them both. This concept is often discussed in the context of value theory and is particularly relevant in discussions of moral pluralism and moral relativism.
Moral pluralism posits that there is a multitude of moral frameworks that are fundamentally distinct and cannot be reduced to a single overarching system. It recognizes the diversity of intrinsic values and is opposed to moral monism, which suggests that one single value or principle underpins all others. As a result, moral pluralism often leads to value pluralism and can contribute to the ethical understanding that different cultures or individuals may have irreconcilable moral beliefs and principles.
Moral relativism, on the other hand, extends the idea of moral pluralism by claiming that all moral frameworks are equally valid, with no framework being superior to another. Therefore, it rejects the idea of universally applicable moral truths. However, moral pluralism does not necessarily endorse this level of relativism, and instead, it may involve the recognition that while there are many valid moral perspectives, some may be more justifiable than others, even if they cannot be universally applied or are not reducible to one another.