Examining the Epistemological Relativism Challenge Arising from the Role of Custom in Ethics

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate in Transcendent Philosophy, University of Ferdowsi . Mashhad, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran.

10.22034/ethics.2025.51688.1720

Abstract

Moral realism emphasizes the existence of moral values independent of individual or societal preferences. However, one of the significant challenges facing moral realism is the role of custom (‘urf) in identifying moral characteristics. As an unstable element, custom's undeniable influence on the recognition of moral traits gives rise to the notion of anti-realism and epistemological relativism in ethics. Ethical discussions regarding moral traits can be categorized into three areas: (a) moral principles, i.e., the governing laws of ethics; (b) the meanings of moral subjects (thick moral concepts); and (c) the instances of moral subjects (thick moral concepts). This article comprehensively examines the role and impact of custom in ethics by analyzing its place within these three dimensions. Through this analysis, the study explores the relativism challenge stemming from the role of custom in all aspects of ethics. By examining custom's influence across these three domains, the findings reveal two key points: first, identifying the specific areas where custom plays a role, and second, demonstrating the inadequacy of the relativism notion arising from custom's influence.


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