Relativism and universalism; which statement is true?

Relativism and universalism; which statement is true?

• A. Universal standards apply universally regardless of culture.
• B. Relativism rejects culture-specific ethics.
• C. Relativism accepts culture-specific ethics and universalism holds some ethical standards apply universally regardless of culture.
• D. Relativism accepts culture-specific ethics; universalism holds some ethical standards apply universally regardless of culture.

Answer: (D)

In ethics, relativism and universalism describe how moral standards relate to culture: relativism holds that ethics are culture-specific, while universalism maintains that some ethical standards apply across all cultures. The statement chosen expresses this clearly by saying relativism accepts culture-specific ethics and universalism holds that some standards apply universally regardless of culture. This pairing shows the distinct claims of each position and keeps them in balance—relativism doesn’t deny universal concerns, and universalism doesn’t erase cultural variation. To ground this, think of practices that vary by culture alongside principles many scholars treat as universal, such as prohibiting torture or genocide—these are often cited as universal norms even as other moral judgments differ across societies. The other options misstate the ideas: one treats universal standards as applying everywhere without acknowledging culture-specific ethics, and another suggests relativism rejects culture-specific ethics, which contradicts what relativism actually claims. A closely worded alternative is accurate as well, but the version with the semicolon cleanly separates the two claims, making the relationship between relativism and universalism most precise.

In ethics, relativism and universalism describe how moral standards relate to culture: relativism holds that ethics are culture-specific, while universalism maintains that some ethical standards apply across all cultures. The statement chosen expresses this clearly by saying relativism accepts culture-specific ethics and universalism holds that some standards apply universally regardless of culture. This pairing shows the distinct claims of each position and keeps them in balance—relativism doesn’t deny universal concerns, and universalism doesn’t erase cultural variation.

To ground this, think of practices that vary by culture alongside principles many scholars treat as universal, such as prohibiting torture or genocide—these are often cited as universal norms even as other moral judgments differ across societies. The other options misstate the ideas: one treats universal standards as applying everywhere without acknowledging culture-specific ethics, and another suggests relativism rejects culture-specific ethics, which contradicts what relativism actually claims. A closely worded alternative is accurate as well, but the version with the semicolon cleanly separates the two claims, making the relationship between relativism and universalism most precise.