Christianity - situation Ethics

Question 1

what is meant by Teleological ethics?

Answer 1

• consequence based

Question 2

Joseph Fletcher

Answer 2

• priest
• American ethicist - taught Christian and medical ethics

Question 3

what is meant by situation ethics?

Answer 3

people should aim to do the most loving thing in a situation and if they do that they are doing the right thing

Question 4

what is meant by the term, “ Agape”?

Answer 4

Christian love which is unconditional and reflects the love of God

Question 5

Fletcher divides moral thinking into three basic kinds, what are they?

Answer 5

Legalistic ethics, Antinomian ethics and situational ethics

Question 6

what is meant by legalistic ethics? does fletcher support this?, why?

Answer 6

• a set of defined rules which tell you how to behave, e.g. Judaism, Aquinas’s precepts in Natural Law
• fletcher does not support this as he believes that life is too complex and rules would always have to change for different eventualities, which would only lead into confusion

Question 7

what is meant by Antinomian ethics? does Fletcher support this? why?

Answer 7

• opposite of legalistic
• no system or law at all
• Fletcher criticises this saying “it is literally unprincipled”

Question 8

what is meant by situational ethics? does Fletcher support this? why?

Answer 8

• the morality of an action depends on the situation
• people come above law
• ethics is based on circumstances and love rather than actions and rules

Question 9

Fletcher was influenced by Barth, what did Barth argue?

Answer 9

• Barth argued that Gods’ commanding can only be individual and specific , rather than a general rule

Question 10

what are the four loves and their meanings?

Answer 10

storge - natural instinct love (family)
philia - friendships
eros- partner/relationships, romantic, sexual desires
agape - unconditional love, selfless love

Question 11

Where does Agape come from?

Answer 11

• agape has origins in the new testament
• Christianity is based on love as “God is love” (1 John 4:8)
• Christians are commanded to “love thy neighbour” (Mark 12:30-31)
• agape is self sacrificing rather than self satisfying
• agape is seen as the highest end, what all humans should aim to produce

Question 12

what is a quote used from fletcher that you can evaluate on?

Answer 12

“Love is for people, not for principles”

Question 13

what are the six propositions?

Answer 13

1.Love only is always good
2.Love is the only norm
3.Love and justice are the same
4.Love is not liking
5.Love justifies the means
6.Love decides there and then

Question 14

What are the four working principles?

Answer 14

Pragmatism
Relativism
Positivism
Personalism

Question 15

What is meant by Pragmatism?

Answer 15

Acting in a practical way rather than ideologically (this is supported by William James)

Question 16

What is meant by Relativism?

Answer 16

Rejection of absolute moral standards, decisions should be based on love

Question 17

What is meant by Positivism?

Answer 17

Use of Agape to make a moral decision; love is good and God is love

Question 18

What is meant by Personalism?

Answer 18

Focuses on people, rather than laws

Question 19

What is meant by Conscience?

Answer 19

• the conscience does not guide human action
  -it is not full of reliable rules, or principles telling us how to act, and it is not part of a human being
• a verb rather than a noun - not an actual “thing”, but a word to describe the process of moral decision making
• Fletcher uses Aquinas’ idea that the conscience is reason making moral judgements (through rejects Aquinas’ ideas of natural law

Question 20

What are 2 strengths of situation ethics?

Answer 20

• supplies guidance to moral decision making when absolute rules do not seem to fit - can be adapted to fit all situations whilst still providing guidance
• provides a simple and flexible approach to moral decision making
• “love they neighbour is not an outdated sentiment, nor does it only apply to the religious
• it is a teleological system and is not ties to the observance of rules like deontological ethics. this makes it flexible and allows adaptation to different circumstances

Question 21

What are 2 weaknesses of situation ethics?

Answer 21

• situation ethics can be morally subjective, there is no fact about whether an action is right or wrong, merely different opinions. This seems to contradict basic Christian beliefs with God making particular right and wrong rules, e.g. ten commandments
• many argue against situation ethics being a Christian ethic. The Bible provides a lot of guidance and moral rules, but Fletcher only focuses on Agape. Doing so, the situation ethics that he develops can be used to dismiss many other Biblical laws, such as protecting and preserving human life, sexual purity, lying etc
• complicated to follow - one person could arrive at many different conclusions and it is very unlikely people will always agree on what the most loving outcome is
• can we actually define love? subjectivity etc