Main Flashcards
What is the main principle of Situation Ethics according to Joseph Fletcher?
The main principle is that love (agape) is the single absolute principle that should be applied to all situations. The action that is good is the one which has the most loving consequence in the situation.
What is a key strength of Situation Ethics?
It provides flexibility by taking the situation into account while offering clear guidance through the principle of love, avoiding the inflexibility of legalism and the chaos of antinomianism.
What is a key criticism of Situation Ethics?
William Barclay argues that it gives people too much freedom, which can lead to selfishness and cruelty if individuals are not perfectly loving.
What is the counter to Barclay’s criticism about too much freedom in Situation Ethics?
Legalism’s inflexibility and outdated nature are worse downsides. As society becomes more educated and civilised, granting more freedom can increase love without risking stability.
What is the counter to the defense against Barclay’s criticism of Situation Ethics?
The notion that people might appear improved in modern times does not negate the classic argument that power corrupts, and the freedom granted can lead to selfish or cruel actions.
How does Situation Ethics interpret the importance of Agape?
Fletcher interprets Agape as central to Jesus’ ethics, meaning actions should be guided by selfless love, even if it means breaking traditional commandments.
What is a counter to the emphasis on Agape in Situation Ethics?
Richard Mouw argue that Fletcher’s focus on love dilutes Christian ethics, ignoring other important biblical teachings and reducing ethics to a subjective and potentially antinomian approach.
What is the defense against the criticism that Fletcher’s Situation Ethics dilutes Christian ethics?
Fletcher’s approach shows that interpreting the Bible strictly is problematic, and a focus on love as a guiding principle is a more reasonable and flexible interpretation of Jesus’ teachings.
What are the four working principles of Situation Ethics?
Pragmatism, Relativism, Positivism, and Personalism.
What is a strength of Pragmatism in Situation Ethics?
Pragmatism ensures actions are calibrated to the reality of the situation, making ethical decisions practical and relevant.
What is a weakness of Relativism in Situation Ethics?
Relativism can lead to antinomianism, where the lack of absolute rules results in moral chaos and instability.
What is the counter to the criticism of Relativism in Situation Ethics?
The flexibility of Situation Ethics is necessary for adapting to modern ethical issues and societal changes, unlike rigid natural law approaches.
How does Situation Ethics view conscience?
Conscience is viewed as a verb, indicating the process of determining the most loving action in a situation, rather than an internal moral compass.
What is a criticism regarding the subjectivity of Agape in Situation Ethics?
The way a person loves themselves is subjective, which makes agape subjective and unstable as a basis for ethics.
What is the defense against the criticism of the subjectivity of Agape in Situation Ethics?
Agape requires loving your neighbor as yourself in a selfless manner, which is less subjective and does not justify actions like those of the Nazis or Viking warriors.
