Situation Ethics

Question 1

The views of SE on animals

Answer 1

• SE gives no clear guidance on animal issues; it is acse of deciding whether or not the working principles should be extended to include animals, and if so, how they apply to the issues set for study
• one of the 4 presuppositions is personalism, and this person focused approach pervades the whole of Fletchers thinking
• This might suggest that even if animals should be given moral consideration, human needs and interests take priority

Question 2

Application to intensive farming

Answer 2

• The presupposition of personalism would seem to justify focus on the needs of humans
• In relation to intensive farming, some situations might argue that it should be increased to address the issue of global hunger
• Others would denounce this as short term thinking and advocate a reduction in meat production and an increase in arable farming of crops for human use
• either way- anthropocentric approach

Question 3

Application to animal testing

Answer 3

• the working principle that the end justifies the means could be used in support of animal testing for medical treatments and acquiring greater understanding of diseases such as cancer
• Fletcher viewed animal testing in this light, as promoting human well-being and saving lives
• at the same time, the demands of agape would mean there should be a minimum suffering for the animals involved

Question 4

Application to cloning

Answer 4

• Flecther was involved in cloning research, so clearly supported it
• He might well have said in response to concerns voiced about risks that it was a case of ‘sinning bravely’

Question 5

application to blood sports

Answer 5

• SE would seem to be opposed to the use of animals in blood sports
• Agape demands compassion not cruelty
• the potentially desensitising effect of blood sports on humans leads to agape being disregarded

Question 6

application to xenotransplantation

Answer 6

• personalism would seem to support xenotransplantation
• the potential for helping vast numbers of humans might be seen, to use Fletchers phrase in a different scenario, as ‘applying a vast scale of agaepic calculus’
• transplanting human cancerous materials into animals would be justified as promoting agape on a huge scale
• Fletcher might have thought that taking the risks arising out of transplanting pig hearts into humans would be justified on the grounds of ‘sinning bravely’