cultural relativism
... In order to fully appreciate the importance of cultural diversity one must take into consideration the extent to which behaviours are culturally defined and socially structured within any given culture. ... Cultural Relativism The question of what is morally right and wrong has existed in society since the beginning of mankind. ... He argued that there is no standard of right and wrong other than that which is provided by the cultural standard. ... Sumners stand point is one of the classic defences of cultural relativism (Rachels, 1999). Cultural relativism (CR) asserts that "good" and "bad" are relative to culture. ... As such, all moral principles derive their validity from cultural acceptance. ... Cultural relativists see other cultures not as wrong but as different. However, this does not mean that all cultural practices are equally valid, but rather that each practice must be viewed in the context of that particular culture (Benedict, 1934). Criticisms of CR According to many scholars, although the theory of cultural relativism seems to imply an attitude of tolerance towards other cultures; there is evidence of the contrary. According to Russell, a philosophy professor at the University of BC, this notion of tolerance contradicts the theory of relativism.