Evaluation

Question 1

Arguments FOR

Answer 1

Situation Ethics is flexible and practical. It takes into account the complexities of human life and can make tough decisions where, from a legalistic perspective, all actions seem wrong

Question 2

An example

Answer 2

The situationist can lay aside the rule of not lying for the better outcome of saving a person’s life

Question 3

Arguments FOR

Answer 3

Individuals are not subject to rules that bind them. Nothing is intrinsically wrong or right except the principle of love

Question 4

An example

Answer 4

Jesus seemed to be prepared to set aside some rules in some cases, usually when a person mattered more than the rule. It is modelled on the teaching of Jesus, and so could be considered a truly Christian approach to ethical problems

Question 5

Arguments FOR

Answer 5

It depends on the assumption that human beings are free to act morally

Question 6

A quote to support the argument

Answer 6

Fletcher writes: “Nothing we do is truly moral unless we are free to do otherwise. We must be free to decide what to do before any of our actions even begin to be moral”

Question 7

Arguments FOR

Answer 7

It is well suited to work in a world where people are more uncertain about what is right and wrong

Question 8

Arguments FOR

Answer 8

Individual cases are judged on their own merits, irrespective of what has been done in similar situations in the past

Question 9

Arguments AGAINST

Answer 9

It is contradictory as to say no rules apply, and yet also to say that the only rule is love. It makes it a legalistic approach

Question 10

Arguments AGAINST

Answer 10

Situation Ethics presents people with an enormous amount of freedom and responsibility

Question 11

A quote to support the argument

Answer 11

Barclay says “When faced with a situation there is no ‘prefabricated judgement’, you-just you have to make the right decision”

Question 12

Arguments AGAINST

Answer 12

Traditional Christians rejected this

Question 13

A quote to support the argument

Answer 13

Pope Pius XII called it “ an individualistic and subjective appeal to the concrete circumstances of actions to justify decisions in opposition to the natural law or God´s revealed will”

Question 14

Arguments AGAINST

Answer 14

What is believed to be a loving end could justify actions that many people regard as simply wrong

Question 15

An example

Answer 15

The theory justifies adultery, murder and even genocide in the interests of love. Fletcher is guilty of calling good what is in reality evil

Question 16

Arguments AGAINST

Answer 16

It is individualistic, because humans see things from their own perspective

Question 17

Arguments AGAINST

Answer 17

Law and love are seen as mutually exclusive

Question 18

An example

Answer 18

Paul writes that love is the fulfilling of the law in Romans

Question 19

Arguments AGAINST

Answer 19

It is subjective, because decisions must be made from within the situation as it´s perceived to be. How can individuals safely decide which is the most loving action?

Question 20

Arguments AGAINST

Answer 20

How often are we going to make the kind of life and death choices on which he bases situation ethics? Rarely, if ever

Question 21

A quote to support the argument

Answer 21

“It is much easier to agree that extraordinary situations need extraordinary measures than to think that there are no laws for ordinary everyday life” by Barclay

Question 22

Arguments AGAINST

Answer 22

Fletcher is overly optimistic about the capacity of human beings to make morally correct choices and not be influenced by personal preferences. We need law to guide us in the right direction to avoid moral chaos