Dear Rulemaker,
We’ve spent this week making the case that when it comes to right and wrong, the pen is in our hands. There’s no cosmic referee, no divine lawgiver handing down a universal rulebook. Instead, we craft our ethics from the ground up, like cooks in a kitchen figuring out the recipe as we go.
And that’s the essence of ethical relativism. It says that without an omniscient perspective to guide us, our ethical systems are inevitably shaped by our cultures, our experiences, and our times. We’re the rule-makers, and as we evolve, so do the rules.
But here’s the catch: when the rules are always shifting, it can feel like the ground beneath our feet is never quite solid. We’ve seen that without a fixed point to anchor to, ethics can sometimes become a moving target. And while that flexibility can be a strength, it can also leave us wondering: are we building a sturdy moral house, or just rearranging the furniture?
So, dear Rulemaker, as we wrap up this week, we leave you with a question. Do you think we’re becoming more ethical as we learn to shape our own rules? Or does this constant reinvention risk leaving us in a world where anything goes?
We’ve made the case for ethical relativism, but next week, we’ll ask if there might be a truer north to guide us. For now, we’ll leave you with that question lingering in the air. Because sometimes, the most honest ethics begin with admitting that we’re all still finding our way.
Still exploring the moral landscape,
~ The Radical Left