Situation Ethics Flashcards
Define pragmatism
the course of action taken must work
Define relativism
situation ethics is relative
define positivism
where one accepts faith voluntarily
define personalism
people must always come first
1st fundamental principle
only one thing is intrinsically good, namely love, nothing else at all
2nd fundamental principle
The ruling norm of Christian decision is love, nothing else.
3rd fundamental principle
Love and justice are the same, for justice is love distributed, nothing else
4th fundamental principle
Love wills the neighbours good, whether we like him or not
5th fundamental principle
Only the end justifies the means, nothing else
6th fundamental principle
Loves decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively
Fletcher: “Christian ethics is
the strategy of love
Fletcher “love seeks…
Love seeks the deepest welfare and most happiness of most people in that situation
Fletcher “jesus said nothing….
Jesus said nothing about birth control…childlessness, homosexuality….abortion,…sex….whether any form of sex is good or evil depends on whether love is fully served.
Fletcher cabbie driver
There are times when a man has to push aside his principles and do the right thing.
Bultmann
In reality the love which is based on sympathy or emotions is self love
St Augustine
“One does not ask what he believes or hopes but what he loves…”
Fletcher “dare to…
sin bravely
Tillich
“The law of love is the negation of law because it is the ultimate law”
Fletcher “ethics…
relativizes the absolute, it does not absolutize the relative
John MacQuarrie/ Pope Pius XI
situationism is too individualistic and subjective
Dostoevsky
People would rather have rules to live by
What are Fletcher’s examples?
- Crying baby
- Mrs Bergmeier
- Sinking ship
- Rape victim
What is Agape?
- Agape means unconditional love for everybody. It is a non-preferential, unemotional, non-reciprocal love. It is an attitude, not a feeling. It is non-judgemental, and non-sentimental, it goes out of the way for its neighbour. We have to will the good of those we do not like. The self takes a secondary place.
