Ethic Situation Ethics Flashcards
Joseph Fletcher
American Philosopher created the teleological ethical theory Situation Ethics
Situation Ethics
ethics that takes into account the particular context of an act when evaluating it ethically, rather than judging it only according to absolute moral standards
Agape love origins
Inspired by Jesus’ gospel message of love
; “Love thy neighbour as thyself”
“God is love”
Agape Love
Unconditional love: doing what is best for the other person unconditionally
Fletchers belief in three different ethics
Situation Ethics
Legalistic Ethics
Antinomian Ethics
Legalistic Ethics
Has set of moral rules and regulations
Over-reliance on rules
Fletcher disagreed heavily on this form ethics
Believed it runs into several problems; he argued life complexities require additional laws
Antinomian Ethics
Reverse of legalistic ethics
Means ‘no laws’
Has no ethical system
Decision-making very unique
Fletcher critical of this approach ; can result in anarchy
Situation Ethics Four Working Principles
Fletcher believed there are FOUR PRINCIPLES that SITUATION ETHICS MAKES;
PRAGMATISM
RELATIVISM
POSITIVISM
PERSONALISM
Situation Ethics Four Working Principles-PRAGMATISM
Moral actions must work or achieve a REALISTIC GOAL/
Suggests ‘truth’ should be understood in terms of what works
Situation Ethics Four Working Principles- RELATIVISM
There are NO FIXED LAWS which must ALWAYS BE OBEYED - Only LOVE IS ABSOLUTE
Situation Ethics Four Working Principles- POSITIVISM
It BEGINS with the BELIEF in the REALITY and IMPORTANCE of LOVE
Values are decided by STARTING with FAITH IN GOD
Situation Ethics Four Working Principles -PERSONALISM
People are the ULTIMATE MORAL VALUE
People must always come first
They are the CENTRE OF SITUATION ETHICS
Situation Ethics Six Fundamental Principles
Only one thing is intrinsically good:love
Love is the ruling norm in ethical decision-making and replaces all laws
Love and justice are the same thing-justice is love that is distributed
Love wills the neighbour’s good regardless whether or we like him
Love is the goal/end and that JUSTIFIES ANY MEANS to achieve that GOAL
Love’s decisions are made SITUATIONALLY not PRESCRIPTIVELY
Application of Situation Ethics- Example Abortion after Rape
If woman becomes pregnant after being raped and is refused an ABORTION by Doctor
Fletcher would argue this is the wrong outcome as it focuses on legalism rather than the person-centred
Situation Ethics-Conscience
A term that describes attempts to make DECISIONS CREATIVELY
Fletcher argues that conscience is an ACTIVE PROCESS. it is.a VERB not a NOUN
Assessing Situations Ethics- Advantages
Enables us to answer DIFFICULT MORAL DILEMMAS where we may have two CONFLICTING DUTIES
Agape Love is good principle- the DEMAND that we do what’s is the MOST LOVING for those around us WHETHER WE LIKE THEM OR NOT stops BIAS
Provides a flexibility to take CIRCUMSTANCES INTO ACCOUNT
Assessing Situations Ethics- Disadvantages Part 1
The Concept of the APPLICATION OF AGAPE is VAGUE/SUBJECTIVE. Different people have DIFFERENT VIEWS on what is MOST LOVING
SE has NO CLEAR and ABSOLUTE BOUNDARIES
Assessing Situations Ethics- Disadvantages Part 2
It is difficult to know where a situation begins and ends. You may resolve the IMMEDIATE situation using AGAPAE love but set off an UNEXPECTED CHAIN of consequences that does NOT LEAD to a LOVING OUTCOME
Assessing Situations Ethics- Disadvantages Part 3 MCQUARRIE
McQuarrie suggests that SE is too INDIVIDUALISTIC and involves individuals deciding based on the SITUATION they FACE
It will be DIFFICULT to APPLY it to SOCIETY
Developing Arguments FOR Situation Ethics-Person Centred
SE is a PERSON CENTRED system and starts with the question on what will benefit the person. Unlike NL that is far more LEGALISTIC
Developing Counter-Arguments AGAINST Situation Ethics-Person Centred
The Focus on NO ABSOLUTES means no REAL ‘RIGHTS’
Therefore in some Situation s people will be DISREGARDED for GREATER GOOD
Developing Arguments FOR Situation Ethics-MORAL RESPONSIBILITY
SE gives humans MORAL RESPONSIBILITY for descions they make.
No Rules given but to ensure LOVE IS APPLIED
CONSCIENCE application ‘VERB NOT A NOUN’
Developing Counter-Argument AGAINST Situation Ethics-MORAL RESPONSIBILITY
It is WRONG TO ASSUME that HUMANS WILL have SUFFICIENT EXPERTISE on REASON AND MORAL RESPONSIBILITY.
Particularly in certain situations
