The problem of relativism has presented itself ever since Herodotus introduced his readers to the astounding variety of religious beliefs and moral judgements among human communities. Philosophers soon began to consider the proposition that there is no objective truth and falsity, right and wrong, but that all of these are products of different conventions and cannot apply beyond the contexts in which they originated. Indeed, relativism seems to be an intuitive response to the fact of cultural diversity. But it also seems to carry troubling implications for promoting justice, negotiating disagreements, and leading one's life with purpose and integrity. In this series we will consider relativism in relation to two questions. First, is relativism ultimately the reality of the human condition, or are there realities and moral norms that we can discern as objectively true? And second, is there a way to maintain robust philosophical, religious, and moral convictions in a way that navigates between relativism and ideology?

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Contemporary defenders of moral relativism often cite anthropological literature for support. They contend that cultural differences among the practices of human groups are often a source of fundamental and therefore irresolvable moral conflict. In this seminar, Prof. Michele Moody-Adams (Columbia) will draw on her book Fieldwork in Familiar Places to respond to these claims.

Advance reading

Chapter 1 “Taking Disagreement Seriously”, in Fieldwork in Familiar Places: Morality, Culture, and Philosophy