Soc_120_Week_2

| L.E. Goodman Analysis | Sherry Casey | SOC 120 | Milagros Baez | 3/11/2013 | | Some religions believe that we are all born of sin and into sin regardless of what culture, race, ethnic identity, or class. The belief is that we all have a sense of what is morally right and the relativity of it. “There are traits, customs, and beliefs that make us distinctive to certain cultures, races, and classes, which due to the differences we all follow, a set of different moral standards. Each culture tackles moral questions based on their own moral beliefs.” (Winter, 2011) Relativism maintains when it comes to right and wrong there is neither, because what is virtuous within a particular individual, culture or societies morality must be understood and taken into consideration (Mosser, 2010). Lenn Goodman brings up arguments that there are certain things that are simply wrong. Some people would agree, if you follow his thinking, yet there will be a few that would present a logical argument that would contradict his arguments. The areas of moral debates that Goodman chose would bring on a mass debate of arguments when it comes to cultures, races, ethic identities, or classes. Within the American society there are a huge amount of different cultures. The cultures all function together and have different beliefs and values. It is these different beliefs and values that make America and interesting place to live. The beliefs of Lenn Goodman are based on the history of moral knowledge and what many of us as Americans think are right (Goodman, 2010). There are universal moral requirements as we have witnessed over time throughout history. The claim of certain rights and wrongs has been a forewarning for battles since the beginning of time. Goodman claims are that every person has the rights to live and be free from any and all inhumane treatment. Goodman stated, “all human aspirations worthy of the name deserve respect and support, materially and morally/intellectually” (Goodman, 2010) but, to judge those things that is not morally right. All people regardless of what culture, race, class, etc. have the right to be treated equal and have the right to live their own life; people of these areas that make decisions to take a life based on certain reasons should be punished. There is no excuse for taking a life, but there is a time for everything, even murder. Goodman stated, “Murder is wrong because it destroys a human subject. Warfare is not always wrong; it may be necessary to protect such subjects” (Goodman, 2010). In a sense Goodman is contradicting himself. Warfare is considered the taking of a life, as this is usually the result. However, Goodman states that taking a life is wrong, unless it is in defense' This is where the loopholes in his argument can occur. Which value does he hold more belief in' Goodman discusses slavery as one of the acts of wrong in the article and several would agree with his views on this issue. “Slavery is the deepest exploitation, overriding subject hood to make a person a tool for use” (Goodman, 2010). In the past and even in today’s society some cultures would agree that slavery is racially and ethically right. In opinion, in today’s society especially in the south, there are still a large portion of the older Caucasian generations, that still look down upon the African American population simply because of the color of their skin. Many believe slavery was abolished years ago, yet, there is slavery today. Immigrants are being purchased and sold to work for virtually nothing. Women are still being used as “pawns” by men to get the services that they need. Children are even being sold on the “black market” to use for household chores and manual labor. This is inhumane when it comes to any moral standards that we have regardless of what race, culture, class, etc. we are a part of. Goodman states, “Drugs are sold only once. Humans can be sold multiple times” (Goodman, 2010). There are other cultures other than American however, that view women and children as disposable. They use their women for birthing children, and if they do not get the sex of the child they desire they will kill the child for population control. Women that are unable to have children may be banished from an area as well. This is proving that the value of life is not as sacred in some cultures as we see it here in America. Even though Goodman may view this as a wrong act there are still many in the world that would defend their beliefs and could hold a logical argument based on historical and religious beliefs. Goodman provides a variety of circumstances for which one could argue it’s relativity to today’s society. As time goes on our views and beliefs are often altered to that age of life. This being said, at the time of Goodman’s writing they could have been the beliefs of the majority, but according to our current day beliefs they may not hold up as such. Goodman, L. E. (2010). Some moral minima. The Good Society, 19(1), 87-94. Retrieved from the EBSCO Host database in the Ashford Online Library. Mosser, K. (2010). Introduction to ethics and social responsibility. San Diego, Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Winter, T. (2011). Study Mode . Retrieved March 11, 2013, from Study Mode.com: www.studymode.com/essays