Chapter 2
Rachels’ example of cultural relativism from Herodotus of eating dead fathers reminded me of how most Americans who have no problem eating poorly treated cows and pigs will get up in arms about China’s Yulin dog festival, where dogs are eaten. Although Rachels does end up talking about how attached (and hypocritical) we can be about our own cultural norms, he went in a different direction than I expected, stating that cultural relativism isn’t entirely (or even mostly) correct, and that there are rules across cultures, and that there are ways related to the harm and benefits of an action/standard to judge cultural standards.
Chapter 5
When I saw Chapter 5 opened with an Ayn Rand quote I rolled my eyes and let out a disgusted sigh because I dislike Rand’s works (I tried reading Atlas Shrugged and stopped at the 80 page radio monologue) and without fail every person I have met who is into Ayn Rand is a self absorbed jerk who treats other people poorly. Every person may be an exaggeration, but after dating two Randroids I now see that as a deal-breaker. I hoped that Rachels would be following the same format as with Chapter 2, where he introduces a concept and then largely picks it apart. I was delighted to see that was the case, with Rand being largely dismissed, but acknowledgement given to her popularity.
Rachels brings up Mother Teresa as an example of altruism that many people use. Rachels acknowledges that she had selfish reasons (wanting to go to heaven for saving souls), but doesn’t discuss some of the criticisms I’ve read about Teresa’s work, mainly that the conditions she kept the sick in lacked palliative qualities, while she herself was in medical luxury near the end of her life*. While I don’t think that means Ethical Egoism is true (just that some people are self-centered and assume everyone else is), I do think that it makes Mother Teresa an even worse example of altruism to use if someone is argument against Ethical Egoism.
*Mother Theresa's care for the dying - https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(94)92353-1/fulltext
