Are Our Ethics a Reflection of Time and Community?

In order to answer this question we must look at which ethical theories state that there is one fundamental principle, such as Utilitarianism, comparing it to an ethical theory which states that there is no universally valid principle, Ethical relativism. Ethical relativism states that our moral values differ through time and community whereas Utilitarianism states that there is one thing we are focused on, gaining the most happiness for the greatest number. Religion can also be looked at as although all the different religions vary in what they think is right and wrong, their God or Gods have set all the moral rules in which they should follow which they have followed since their religions creation, causing their moral values to stay the same over time.

Utilitarianism mainly conflicts with this view that our moral values are only a reflection of our time and community as according to this theory there is only one fundamental principle of happiness. Utilitarianism states that you should always seek the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people. However this notion of happiness for the greatest amount of people has not always been the case throughout history as slavery and serfdom have been present from the beginning of the Homo sapiens species. This slavery would not create the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people unless you would have more masters per slaves which would have been unlikely throughout history. Although we have not acted according to Utilitarian principles throughout history, all the cultures on the planet all treat the principle of the most happiness for the most people as a foundation rule for many of their choices and decisions. Democracy, which is present in most of the ‘developed’ countries today gives the public a say in politics and gives everyone a chance to vote, showing how the countries actions are based on what the people want and thus what the majority of the people are happy with. However although most of the countries in the world are democratic there are countries, and communities within countries, that do not follow this rule such as tribes in Africa and the Amazon, which carry their own sets of morals, and communist countries, where freedom of the people are limited which creates an un-utilitarian set of moral values. However although we are all striving to gain maximum happiness, the type of happiness people are after can differ from community to community and possibly over time as well. This shows that although Utilitarianism goes against the notion that our moral values are only a reflection of time and community due to the fact that we all seek to gain maximum happiness, the type of happiness we are after changes through time and culture.