Ethics - Situation Ethics

Question 1

Agapeic calculus

Answer 1

Love can be measured by its intensity , duration , likelihood of giving rise to further pleasure and so on.
Parallel to Jeremy Bentham’s pleasure calculus

Question 2

Absolute

Answer 2

Actions are right/wrong regardless of the context or the situation

Question 3

Antinomianism

Answer 3

(Against law ) The belief that there should be no laws or principles governing human behaviour

Question 4

Autonomy

Answer 4

(Self law) The principle of self-determination , that people should be able to decide for themselves what is in their best interests

Question 5

Conative

Answer 5

Brought about by the human will

Question 6

Cryogenics

Answer 6

The science of freezing bodies shortly before death in hope that future technology will discover the means to reanimate the body and cure it of whatever was responsible for its death

Question 7

Divine Command Theory

Answer 7

An ethical theory held by many Protestants, that morality consists in following God’s absolute commands , as laid down in Scripture

Question 8

Humanism

Answer 8

A system of thought in which reliance is placed on human intelligence and will , rather than on supernatural guidance

Question 9

Intrinsic good

Answer 9

Something that is ethically good in and of itself

Question 10

Norms

Answer 10

Ethical standards of proper/ acceptable behaviour, so normative ethics = laying down standards of moral behaviour

Question 11

Normative ethics

Answer 11

Rules or theory by which we make ethical judgements : laying down rules of acceptable behaviour

Question 12

Personalism

Answer 12

In Fletcher’s system , a presupposition that morality is about persons , not rules

Question 13

Positivism

Answer 13

In Fletcher’s system, the presupposition that ethical norms are held by faith : that is , that agape is the only intrinsically good thing

Question 14

Predicate

Answer 14

Love is a predicate in Fletcher’s system, meaning that is describes action in a situation and is not a thing in itself. Love is not a thing or a property, it is a formal principle expressing what kinds of real actions Christians are to call ‘good’

Question 15

Pragmatism

Answer 15

In Fletcher’s system , pragmatism is the presupposition that we should do what is pragmatic , that is , what works in the situation

Question 16

Relativism

Answer 16

In Fletcher’s system, the idea that morality is relative to the situation , so we should avoid worlds like “always” “never” . Jesus ‘ agapeic love relativizes the absolute, it does not absolutise the relative

Question 17

Strengths of Fletcher’s situation ethics

Answer 17

1) Agape based on Jesus
2) Fletcher’s presuppositions seems to be good ones
3) Promote individual autonomy
4) Can be adapted to science
5) Focuses on helping people
6) Promotes social justice

Question 18

Weaknesses of situation ethics

Answer 18

1) The amount of responsibility on the individual
2) Sidelines Church tradition and biblical authors
3) There may be no consensus on what the most loving action may be.

Question 19

First guideline quote for situation ethics

Answer 19

“The written code kills, but the Spirit gives life …“(2 Corinthians 3:6)

Question 20

Second guideline quote for situation ethics

Answer 20

“For the whole law is fulfilled in one word ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself “ (Galatians 5:14)