On judgmentalism and relativism ...


In intro ethics courses I have observed that students fall into two broad camps: the judgmentalists and the relativists. Raise any ethical issue in the first few weeks of class and some students already know what is right and wrong. They know the rules. And those who do not follow the rules are judged. Other students will likely say something to the effect of "All ideas about right and wrong are just opinions. Because all opinions are equally valid you can't say what is right and wrong, only what is right and wrong for that person."

In his letter to the Romans St. Paul asks his readers to reflect on judging others. His sense seems to be "live and let live." If your friend likes to eat meat and you are a vegan, why should you judge your friend? It's up to everyone to decide for themselves. If your Jewish friend keeps the Sabbath and you don't who are you to judge? He concludes: "Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister?" If there is any judging to be done God will do it. And that seems to be the end of the matter. 

St. Paul seems to be a relativist where all viewpoints are equally valid—at least in this passage. Half my class would be his fans. I have some sympathy with them. Social groups seem irrepressibly judgmental, where some are in, and some are out. Those who are out are out because they think the wrong way, have different life commitments, or don't play by the accepted rules. For some sad folk, judging others is a way of life. In contemporary society, judging is the the modus operandi of both the left and the right. Judging is a conservative thing. Judging is a progressive thing. Everyone judges. Social media has become the space par excellence to judge others who differ. Of course the judgements differ. But woe betide if you hold the wrong ideas or do the wrong things. You will be judged. and who hasn't been! So I sympathize. Wouldn't the world be better if we were just less judgmental? Certainly the worlds of politics and religion would be, for politics and religion seem to bring out humanity's worst ways of judging. My suspicion is that some of my relativist students are reacting to an over strict religious upbringing, or else are utterly burned by political judgement flinging. So, St. Paul refreshingly asks to us to take a "chill pill." Stop judging others, already. And we breathe a sigh of relief.

"But professor, aren't some things so important that we need to make a judgment about them?" tentatively asks a shy student, third row by the window. "Don't we all think that murder is wrong? And child abuse? And slavery? Don't we judge those who kill, and abuse, and enslave?" Yes we do. And the claims of relativism soften. Some common commitments based on shared values are basic. They form a boundary out with which any venture to the deserved opprobrium of the community. We could not survive socially without the boundary. But those "common sense" shared commitments change over time. It's the changes that presents the problems. For example, it's obvious to us that children ought not to be abused. It was not so obvious to previous generations—those that thought children were wild animals and had to be trained through pain. Or another, public torturing and executions of the wayward were quite acceptable, as much so as going to the local ball game. We are appalled at the thought. Values shift over time, and so do our shared views of the acceptable. So even the "common sense" commitments we have have not always been "common sense." Even the boundary shifts, and our judgments about right and wrong are relative to time and place. 

It follows that very few of these shared commitments are forever right. We learn and grow and change and abandon understandings that seemed so right even a generation ago. Look at how quickly the majority changed from seeing marriage equality as something to be rejected to something to be accepted and celebrated. In 2019, 60 percent of Americans favored same sex marriage. In 2004 it was just 40 percent.

Yet it's in these areas of change that the judgments, shamings and cancelings fly with abandon. Those who give up smoking are often those who judge the smokers the harshest. Being shamed and judged rarely works to produce change. Cancel culture merely fuels resentments. 

Would it be too much to ask for respectful dialogue—a conversation rooted in respect, kindness, the unwillingness to cause harm, fairness, and our shared humanity? "Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister?" Asked St. Paul. He had a good point.

Be kind today.

+Ab. Andy