Abstract: Ethical relativism and absolutism are two important tendencies in Human,especially Western ideological history. Ethical relativism emphasizes ethical specialty, uncertainty and temporality,whereas ethical absolutism focuses on ethical universality,certainty,and immutability. They depart from each other and rely on each other,however.Understanding the relationship between them,it will help us to do better in modern social ethical research and to construct realistic ethic.

Key words: ethical relativism;ethical absolutism;relativism, absolutism