Situation Ethics

Question 1

Define pragmatism

Answer 1

the course of action taken must work

Question 2

Define relativism

Answer 2

situation ethics is relative

Question 3

define positivism

Answer 3

where one accepts faith voluntarily

Question 4

define personalism

Answer 4

people must always come first

Question 5

1st fundamental principle

Answer 5

only one thing is intrinsically good, namely love, nothing else at all

Question 6

2nd fundamental principle

Answer 6

The ruling norm of Christian decision is love, nothing else.

Question 7

3rd fundamental principle

Answer 7

Love and justice are the same, for justice is love distributed, nothing else

Question 8

4th fundamental principle

Answer 8

Love wills the neighbours good, whether we like him or not

Question 9

5th fundamental principle

Answer 9

Only the end justifies the means, nothing else

Question 10

6th fundamental principle

Answer 10

Loves decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively

Question 11

Fletcher: “Christian ethics is

Answer 11

the strategy of love

Question 12

Fletcher “love seeks…

Answer 12

Love seeks the deepest welfare and most happiness of most people in that situation

Question 13

Fletcher “jesus said nothing….

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Fletcher cabbie driver

Answer 14

There are times when a man has to push aside his principles and do the right thing.

Question 15

Bultmann

Answer 15

In reality the love which is based on sympathy or emotions is self love

Question 16

St Augustine

Answer 16

“One does not ask what he believes or hopes but what he loves…”

Question 17

Fletcher “dare to…

Answer 17

sin bravely

Question 18

Tillich

Answer 18

“The law of love is the negation of law because it is the ultimate law”

Question 19

Fletcher “ethics…

Answer 19

relativizes the absolute, it does not absolutize the relative

Question 20

John MacQuarrie/ Pope Pius XI

Answer 20

situationism is too individualistic and subjective

Question 21

Dostoevsky

Answer 21

People would rather have rules to live by

Question 22

What are Fletcher’s examples?

Answer 22

• Crying baby
• Mrs Bergmeier
• Sinking ship
• Rape victim

Question 23

What is Agape?

Answer 23

• 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.