The Thomistic Institute Moral Relativism and the Natural Law | Prof. Francis Beckwith
Apr 3, 2024
Prof. Francis Beckwith discusses moral relativism and natural law, challenging arguments supporting relativism based on disagreement and tolerance. Topics include abortion debates, natural law theory, enforcing fairness, and the implications of rejecting universal moral standards. The discussion highlights the Catholic Church's perspective on objective morality and the role of human nature in shaping moral beliefs.
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Objectivism Versus Relativism Defined
- Moral objectivism holds that some moral rules apply regardless of time, place, or culture.
- Moral relativism denies universal moral truth and treats moral codes as culturally bound norms.
Why Relativism Persists
- Two common reasons students adopt relativism are perceived widespread disagreement and appeals to tolerance.
- Beckwith frames these as the argument from disagreement and the argument from tolerance.
Disagreement Doesn’t Disprove Objectivity
- The empirical fact of moral disagreement does not logically entail relativism.
- Disagreement alone needs an extra premise to prove there is no objective moral truth.