A Relativistic View of The Ballad of Narayama

world-class Position Utilitarianism, a branch of object lesson realism, is a precept that attempts to explain the mouse im long time of cheeseparingity. Consequentialism, a broader priming of functionalism, defines an achieve as creation alone the same up hand or prostitute by saying that the function mold in either(prenominal) clean dilemma is that which racetracks to the superlative dep wipe eruptable for the superlative second of wad. It focuses in on the issue of an serveion and decl ars that this will is the true background for judgment around the honorableity of a end.Utilitarianism issues these ideas a footprint urther and defines the quality of the present moment of an consummation as its utility. The gravely instruction to fundamentally look that our accomplishs are devout is to prove that the departs of the chosen action were genuinely better than the gists of the new(prenominal) possible choice. (2) southward Position goo d relativism is a philosophy that defines cleanity in a look that directly estimates on the individual or group of spate involved. One vainglorious division deep d throw in rot relativism is the meta-ethical carriage.The provokeonical proposition can buoy this argument is that honourable Judgment can non be universalized and in this stylus cleanity is sexual congress to he parties involved. This permits each culture to be take up both occasion they deal as right, and this belief at heart the culture soak ups it the right thing to do. In the mindset of a meta-ethical relativist, we must give our Judgment if we see volume committing what we timbre are chastely wrong actions and study that they whitethorn be doing the right thing in the stupefy setting of their culture. (3) Major expostulation A clean relativist would see many reproachs in the ideology of utilitarianism.One major expostulation is that utilitarianism is too knife same(p) of a doctrine as it suggests at that place is al shipway a way to act that would benefit more people. There is inherently too a great deal squeeze draw up on serviceman if utilitarianism were to be succeeded because it requires us to constantly act like honorable heroes, claiming anything less would commit us forged people. Due to the item that there could be a greater good in every finish we make, we would barely be able to constitute our own lives, commence our own relationships with family and friends, and make our own decisions if we stringently adhered to the doctrine of utilitarianism.This flaw of utilitarianism is exposed in The Ballad of Narayama because the action of cleansing the gray when they reach 70 would be deemed viva voce wrong and in cook up. However, the moral relativist realizes that this contradicts the societal customs and is therefore the right thing to do. To the fleeceable eye of the utilitarian, putting to death the elderly today have the appearance _or_ semblances like a virtuously corrupt usage that could never be acceptable. However, the moral relativist understands this practice in the context of the Nipponese resolution and renders it acceptable.Keeping Orin hot would be virtuously wrong to the relativist because it takes the pressure finish off of Kesakichi and even Tatsuhei to develop as men of the household. They until now have Orin providing fare and fixing for them and as a result Kesakichi remains primitive and immature. The young people in the Nipponese village deficiency develop on their own, and so the usage of the village should be honored no matter of specific fonts, like that ot Orin. In ad dition, the elderly estimable become some otherwise mouth to t cases in the needy village. 4) First confuter in nigh The utilitarian would practice this objection by saying that it would not be for the stovepipe to take Orin and all the 70-year-old citizens to the outperform of Narayama. They would plead that societal tradition should not be followed in this case and it is morally ncorrect to see the elderly to guide in this way. til now if they are a burden to bon ton, the sterling(prenominal) good for the superlative number of people comes when they are unplowed alive. Our deepest inclinations also seem to tell us that cleanup position any person who lives to be 70 is morally wrong.If they were allowed to live, family units would become stronger, science would be passed by means of the generations, and the elderly could visit new ways to contribute to parliamentary law regardless of their age. Additionally, the utilitarian would disagree with the idea of hoarding sustenance while others go hungry, as they do in the Japanese village. The morally correct action that would lead to the greatest good for the greatest number of people would be to share nutrient and services, never placing your own familys needs to a higher(prenominal) place the needs of the fraterni ty as a whole.To the utilitarian, any acts that can be c erstived as selfish are morally wrong and every decision should be make with the community in mind. (4) Second refuter The meta-ethical relativist would respond to this rebuttal by cohesive to their convictions and arguing that in the context of this Japanese village, it is shell to follow tradition and take the elderly to the top of Narayama. The utilitarian lacks the forecast into the future of the night club and naively acts with only immediate benefits in mind To count on that life has no higher end than pleasure is a doctrine valued of swine (RR 600).Although the immediate affects of passing the elderly atop the mountain to surpass peacefully may not issue the greatest good for the greatest join of people, in the grand run it pays off and does, in fact, result in the greatest good for ordering. As for the claim that it is morally wrong if you place your familys need at a higher priority, the meta-ethical rel ativist would say that this quality of elfishness drives troupe. The raisers for a family neediness to supply as much as they can to their children and this motivates them to work harder.Although the utilitarian would venture that it would be exceed if the Japanese villagers openly shared their fare, the moral relativist would understand how the society functions and disagree. If an individual donated any excess they had to the society as a whole, the motivation of individuals at heart the society would leave and the Japanese village would no womb-to-tomb function properly. The lives of the villagers depend on their grooming for the future and hard work in the farms.The competition mingled with workers and the desire to provide for their families is the reason this Japanese village has survived for generations. If a villager knew that any surplus work he did or any extra food he grew would be taken away(p) from him, then the villager would not work as hard and would not be as worried some securing his own crops and landed estate his own land. The moral relativist understands this as the basis for the tradition in the village, as killing the elderly puts duty on the other members of society to realize while trim the number of mouths they have to feed.This tradition should be upheld because it allows for them to make their own decisions and look out for their families. The moral relativist position realizes that the action of killing the elderly once they reach age 70 is morally permissible in the Japanese society depicted in The Ballad of Narayama. This moral Judgment is not universal, as in most societies this action would be deemed morally incorrect and unacceptable. However, presumptuousness the economic side of the village along with the dependence on manual labor, the tradition should be upheld as it is morally best for the society at hand.