Situation Ethics Flashcards
Fletcher maintains that there are
essentially three different ways of
making moral decisions, what are they?
- Antinomian Ethics
- Legalistic Ethics
- Situation Ethics
What is legalistic Ethics?
Legalistic Ethics has a set list of moral rules or regulations
What are some examples of religions that use legalistic ethics?
Christianity and Judaism
Why did Fletcher criticize legalistic ethics?
Fletcher said that life’s complexities require additional laws. Murder: killing in self defence, killing in war, killing
unborn human beings etc.
What is antinomian ethics?
The reverse of legalistic ethics. It literally means ‘against law’. A person using antinomianism doesn’t really use an ethical system at all.
He or she enters decision-making as if each occasion was totally unique. Making a moraldecision is a matter of spontaneity.
What is the one single rule in situation ethics?
The rule of agape. This love is not merely an emotion but involves doing what is best for the other person, unconditionally.
What do situation ethicists think about rules
The situationist enters into a moral dilemma with the principles and rules of his or her community.
However, they are prepared to set these rules aside in the situation if LOVE seems better served by doing so.
What are the four working principles?
Pragmatism, relativism, positivism, personalism
What are the five main criticisms of situation ethics?
2) It is vague when offering an explanation of value – ‘love’ promotes ‘human welfare’…but what’s best for human welfare?
His definition of ‘the situation’ – everyone approaches situations with different values/priorities. Can you truly create ‘norms’ out of people’s moral instincts? the ends justify the means? – is it acceptable to ignore all consequences in favour of an action?
All rules except love can be broken –is that true? Aren’t there some universal rules?
