situation ethics

Question 1

what are the three main approaches to moral decision making for fletcher

Answer 1

• antinomianism
• legalism
• situationism

Question 2

what is antinomianism

Answer 2

• the belief that there should be no rules or principles directing human behaviour

Question 3

what is legalism

Answer 3

• rules should always be obeyed no matter what

Question 4

what is situation ethics based on

Answer 4

• the agape love shown by jesus in the bible

Question 5

what are fletchers four presumptions

Answer 5

• pragmatism
• personalism
• contextual relativism
• positivism

Question 6

what is pragmatism

Answer 6

• whether or not it has a good chance of having a loving end outcome

Question 7

what is contextual relativism

Answer 7

• assessing what is most loving in each situation
• no fixed rule

Question 8

what is positivism

Answer 8

• must put faith before reasoning, I am a christian so what should i do

Question 9

what is personalism

Answer 9

• putting the person before the law

Question 10

what are fletchers six working principles

Answer 10

• love only is always good
• love is the only norm
• love and justice are the same
• love wills your neighbours good
• love justifies the means
• loves decision making is made prescriptively

Question 11

strengths of situation ethics

Answer 11

• its flexible
• it works in the modern age with developing moral issues
• anyone can follow it

Question 12

weaknesses of situation ethics

Answer 12

• its lack of rules allows for people to get away with crime
• not everyone will have the same loving outcome

Question 13

how did fletcher view embryos

Answer 13

• personhood was what conferred rights
  
  • personhood involved possessing certain
    characteristics: self awareness, the capacity
    to communicate
• the embryo is only a potential person since it doesnt possess those characteristics
• therefore embryo research, cloning and designer babies are okay

Question 14

how does fletcher feel about the techniques used in embryo research, cloning and designer babies

Answer 14

• he supported all techniques as long as proper controls were in place
• he viewed humans as in control of their own reproduction
• he rejected the traditional belief that humanity is created in gods image
• whatever is most loving is the right thing to do

Question 15

how does situation ethics apply to abortion

Answer 15

• fletcher says the interests of an actual person should always take priority over those of a potential person
• several elements of fletchers theory can be applied to this:
  
  • the four presuppositions
  • agape as the one true good
  • six working principles

Question 16

how does situation ethics apply to euthanasia

Answer 16

• fletcher supported the use of euthanasia
• if love demanded it, all commandments could be broken

Question 17

how would situation ethics apply to capital punishment

Answer 17

• there is no set view
• people applying the same set of principles might come to different conclusions

Question 18

how does situation ethics apply to issues around animals

Answer 18

• personalism implies a focus on humans only
• the principle of the ends justifying the means implies animal testing would be okay
• fletcher was involved in cloning research himself
• SE would seem to be against blood sports