3C: Fletcher’s SE - A

Question 1

What are strengths of SE?

Answer 1

• easy to follow
• post-modern society
• judges consequences
• people are different

Question 2

Strength - post-modern society:

Answer 2

• sociologists claim we live in post-modern society and therefore SE may work as it too rejects traditional fixed rules - e.g. 613 commandments

Question 3

Strength - easy to follow:

Answer 3

• the principle of agape is easy to understand
• everyone has an innate understanding of love. Therefore it is easy to follow and no training is needed

Question 4

Strength - judges consequences

Answer 4

• compassionate approach as if judges consequences allowing full analysis of a situation rather than generalised moral judgements
• e.g. deontological ethic would state lying is wrong however there are times when lying is needed. E.g. Nazi soldier example

Question 5

Strength - people are different:

Answer 5

• Situation Ethics puts people before laws (Working Principle: Personalism).
• This is a point supported by modern day philosopher Gareth Moore. He claims that people, in different societies, are different because we are affected by our cultural up-bringing etc.
• Therefore, it is unjust to judge all people with the same deontological ethical rules because people are different.
• Situation Ethics relativist approach does take into account these differences making it a good ethic for contemporary postmodern society.

Question 6

What are weaknesses of SE?

Answer 6

• secular society
• not universal
• ignores biblical fundamental rules
• lacks rules
• some actions are just wrong

Question 7

Weakness - secular society:

Answer 7

• sociologists argue that we live in a secular society
• therefore SE doesn’t work in contemporary society as it claims to have a religious ethic - agape is from God.

Question 8

Weakness - not universal:

Answer 8

• there are no fixed rules and therefore cannot be applied to everyone in the same way.
• poor basis for morality - e.g. abortion. Two women may be treated differently
• however it can be argued that it does treat everyone equally - as it judges the agape outc9me of actions

Question 9

Weakness - some actions are just wrong:

Answer 9

• SE can be argued to be a poor ethic as some actions are just wrong, e.g. murder/stealing
• some actions are just wrong regardless of whether there is an agapeic outcome

Question 10

Weakness - lacks rules

Answer 10

• modern society is in decline and therefore humanity needs a clear, definitive snd decisive set of rules to follow rather than the single guiding principle of agape. This should be applied to all.

Question 11

Weakness - ignores biblical fundamental rules:

Answer 11

• ignores all 613 commandments in the Old Testament and therefore some Christians cannot accept the use