Socrates in his criticism of “ethical relativism” argues that morality cannot be grounded merely in emotions, personal feelings, social moods or subjective preferences.
He criticised Sophists who held that “Man is the measure of all things,” and justice as “interest of the stronger.” If morality changed based on power or emotions, society would descend into chaos. He advocated for absolute, objective virtues that remain constant regardless of human opinion.
Morality based on emotional values is an illusion as it changes with mood, crowd sentiment or fear. Eg- Ashok Mochi, who participated in Gurajat riots leter regretted.
Moral relativism is vulgar as it is shallow and appeals to the lowest, unrefined parts of human nature (Appetite and Passion) rather than the intellect. Eg- online abuse is justified as “righteous anger.”
It is also unsound, logically inconsistent and contradictory. It fails to resolve conflicts between opposing feelings. Eg- “NIMBY” (Not In My Backyard) Syndrome.
Morality based on emotional values lacks universality and objective truth. Eg- Honour killings justified as “family honour” by some cultures but universally unjust. Similarly, in 18th century slavery was justified though it undermined human dignity.
Socrates provided the alternative in the form of Ethical Intellectualism.
“Virtue is Knowledge” – if a person truly understands what is “Good,” they will naturally act accordingly. Evil, therefore, is a result of ignorance, not a choice.
Dialectic- through constant questioning and logical analysis, humans can strip away emotional biases to find the universal definitions of Justice, Courage, and Temperance.
Supremacy of Reason (Logos)- The rational part of the soul must be the “charioteer,” controlling the horses of emotion and desire. A moral life is one governed by the intellect.
The application of Ethical Intellecualism can be seen in
Sabrimala Verdict – prioritizing gender equality over patriarchy
Decriminalising homosexuality – upholding constitutional morality (right to choice) over social morality
Social reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy used “Knowledge” (analyzing ancient texts) and “Reason” (Right to Life) to abolish sati
Ambedkar proposed “Education, Agitation, and Organization” (the pursuit of knowledge) for Annihilation of Caste.
Thus, ethical decision making requires knowledge and reason as foundation.