Situation Ethics Flashcards
Legalism
A web woven by religious traditions which has rules for everything and has to constantly be updated to keep up with moral problems
Legalism case study
In 2002 Saudis Arabian police would not let girls escape a burning building because they weren’t wearing the abaya. 15 died.
Legalism Fletcher quote
‘Any web thus woven sooner or later chokes its weavers’
Antinomianism
An approach that is ‘against law’ because every situation is unique. Gnostics claimed they ‘just know’ what is right and what is wrong.
Situationism
The middle way between legalism and antinomianism. The only rule is agape love. All other rules and laws are only valid if they happen to serve love. The Church’s principles come from wisdom but in each situation the individual must work out whether following these or ignoring them would lead to the most loving result.
Situationism Fletcher quote
‘Laws are only valid if they happen to serve love in any situation.
Agape
Selfless, sacrificial love found in the Bible
Consequentialism
The approach in ethics where the rightness or wrongness of an act is judged by its consequences
Cultural relativism
The view that a person’s moral beliefs should be judged in the context of their own culture
The conscience for Fletcher
It is a process - a verb. A creative process we engage in when trying to make the most loving decision. It is a form of guidance before the decision is made but clearly ‘what is right in one case may be wrong in another’
4 types of love
Storage - familial, affection
Philia - friendship, loyalty
Eros - passionate, sensual
Agape - selfless, sacrificial, Biblical, of God
Situation ethics 4 working principles
Pragmatism
Relativism
Positivism
Personalism
St Louis cab driver quote
‘There are times when a man has to push his principles aside and do the right thing’
Personalism quote
‘Situation ethics puts people at the centre of concern’
Biblical support for SE
‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than this.’
‘Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone’ and to the woman ‘go and sin no more’
Intrinsic good
Something that is ethically good in and of itself
Ontic evil
An intrinsic/objective evil
An action that is wrong, no matter the circumstance
Pragmatism
Something that works and is practical
If it doesn’t work, it has no point
If a rule isn’t practical it can be broken
Pragmatism quote
‘A pragmatist turns his back upon fixed principles and pretended absolutes’
Relativism
There are no fixed rules, all decisions are made relative to situations
Sometimes it will be right to break an ‘absolute command’
Laws are abstract but situations are concrete
Only love is constant and absolute
Relativism
‘The situationist avoids words like ‘never’ and ‘always’ ‘
Positivism
A value judgement needs to be made based on love
Ethical norms are an act of judgement and faith - because the Christian understands love in terms of God
Positivism quote
‘Faith working through love is the essence and pith of Christian ethics’
Personalism
People not things are the centre of concern
The question is who can be helped
Not - what does the law say?
Love people, not rules
