Situation Ethics Flashcards
Legalism
the view that it is always right to obey the moral law
Antionomianism
the view that the laws put in place by societies should be rejected
Situationism
the idea that rules should be set aside when love demands
Pragmatism
the presupposition that we should do what is pragmatic (what works in a situation)
Relativism
the idea that morality is relative to the situation and that we should avoid words like ‘always’, ‘never’, ‘perfect’
Positivism
the presupposition that ethical norms are held by faith - agape is the only intrinsically good thing
Personalism
the presupposition that morality is about persons, not rules
normative ethics
rules or theories by which we make ethical judgements: laying down rules of acceptable behaviour
The Four Presuppositions
- Pragmatism
- Relativism
- Positivism
- Personalism
The Six Propositions
- Only one thing is intrinsically good: love
- Love is the only norm
- Love and justice are the same
- Love wills the neighbour’s good
- Only the end justifies the means and nothing else
- end?
- means?
- motive?
- consequences? - Love’s decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively
Agapeic calculus
‘Do whatever is the most loving thing’
Fletcher’s parallel to Bentham’s pleasure calculus
Conative
brought about by the (human) will
Humanism
a system of thought in which reliance is placed on human intelligence and will, rather than on supernatural guidance
Strengths
- It is flexible - it is personal and relevant to each situation as it is less rigid than natural law and can be adapted to each situation.
- Places Agape and Christian love at the centre of it - Christians should follow by example
Weaknesses
- Agape can be confused for obsessive love which can be dangerous
- Very subjective and dependent - may be no consensus on what the most loving thing to do is
