Situation Ethics Flashcards
Who founded situation ethics?
Joseph Fletcher
When was situation ethics founded?
In the 1960’s
What is legalistic ethics?
Follow strict rules
Why did Fletcher reject legalistic ethics?
Issue when life needs new rules, can produce a web of laws
What is antinomianism?
No rules at all
Why does Fletcher reject antinomianism?
Because it is unprincipled
What is situation ethics concerned with?
Love and people, not the rules, nothing is always right or wrong
What is situation ethics sensitive to?
the complexities of life
Fletcher’s quote about rules and situation ethics pls
‘The siuationist follows a moral law or violates it according to love’s needs’
Williams Temple’s quote pls
‘What acts are right may depend on the circumstances…but there is an absolute obligation to will whatever may be on each occasion right’
The first fundamental principle
Love is always good
Actions are not intrinsically good or bad
The second fundamental principle
love is the only norm
rules are not absolute
the third fundamental principle
love and justice are the same
They cannot be separated
The fourth fundamental principle
Love wills the neighbour good
Agape love, neighbour is anyone and agape love goes out to everyone
The fifth fundamental principle
Love is the only means
End must be the most loving result
The sixth fundamental principle
Love decided there and then
If action will bring about the most love, then it is right
Why did Fletcher reject natural law?
People looked at laws instead of their conscience and reasoning.
What ethical decision making system do Orthodox churches use?
Legalistic ethics
Biblical teachings
What ethical decision making system do Roman Catholics use?
Legalistic ethics
Bible teachings
Natural law
What ethical decision making system do Anglicans use?
Mixture of absolutism and relativism
Mixture of conscience and scripture
Reason
Experience
What is agape love?
Unconditional love for God.
It is not sentimental or erotic.
Altruistic ~ does not benefit them
Examples of Jesus being a situationist?
1) Working on the Sabbath —> ‘The Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath.’
2) Adulterous woman, forgives her.
What is natural law?
Natural law states that actions are good or bad depending on the law of nature.
Is natural law deontological or teleological?
Deontological
Is situation ethics deontological or teleological?
Teleological
Paul said that love is…
Love is patient, kind, not boastful or envious…
The first working principle
Pragmatism
Must always work towards love
The second working principle
Relativism
No fixed rules, love is the only fixed thing
The third working principle
Positivism
Love is the most important
The fourth working principle
Personalism
Human are put over rules, more sacred than rules
Issues with situation ethics
1) it can justify any action
2) cannot calculate consequence on an action
3) hard to define agape love
4) Freedom is terrifying - Barclay
5) perception of situation could be false
What did Pope Pius XII say about situation ethics?
‘its an individualistic and subjective appeal to the concrete circumstances of actions to justify decisions in opposition of the natural law or God’s revealed will.’
Strength of situation ethics
1) Flexible and practical - takes complexities of human life into account
2) puts people before rules
3) consistent with Jesus’ teachings i.e sabbath
4) help pick least bad out of two bads
What is proportionalism
The midway between situation ethics and natural law.
Moral rules may sometime we broken if there is an appropriate reason
Why may some people think situation ethics is weak?
1) it can justify any action
2) its subjective, people can interpret situations in different ways
Why did Barclay think about situation ethics?
Freedom can lead to cruelty and selfishness
Why do some people think situation ethics is fab
1) flexible guidance
2) coherent with Jesus’ teachings
3) copes with complexities of human life
What does the quote ‘Nothing we do is truly moral unless we are free to do otherwise…’ show?
That we shouldnt follow legalistic because it cripples our ability to take moral responsibility
Fletchers quote about legalistic ethics
‘Nothing we do is truly moral unless we are free to do otherwise…’
What is natural positivism
Reason deduces faith from human experience
What is theological positivism
People act in a reasonable way in the light of faith
What is D Mills’ quote about positivism?
Fundamental principles cannot be proven, so they are decisions, not conclusions.
According to D Mills Daniel, why do people adopt agape love as their key principle?
‘The Christian adopts agape love as their key principle and the highest good, when in faith and on the basis of what he sees in Christ, he affirms that God is love.
What did D Mills Daniel say about situation ethics and the most loving thing
‘Situation ethics is not concerned with what is inherently good, but with how to do the most loving thing possible in a particular situation.’
What is the intrinsic fallacy?
The idea that ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are properties in our actions
Is fletcher for or against the intrinsic fallacy?
He is against because he doesn’t honk that actions are intrinsically good or bad
What is the one thing which is intrinsically good in situation ethics according to Fletcher?
❤️LOVE❤️
According to the situationist view, when should we follow rules?
If they serve love
What is the traditional distinction between love and justice?
Love takes place one to one, whereas justice is concerned with the welfare of many
Greek word for love as romance
Eros
Greek word for love as friendship
Philia
According to situationists when is an action good?
If they serve the end of love
What is a conscience?
A method of weighing up actions
When and why was situation ethics published?
In 1966, because of the issues arising in the 60’s, like abortion and divorce.
What did Jesus say about Agape love?
We should love God with out heart, soul, mind and strength
‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
What did Paul say about Agape love?
‘Love is patient, kind, not boastful, not arrogant, not envious.’
What are the four presumptions
1) Pragmatism
2) Relativism
3) Personalism
4) Positivism
What is an example of pragmatism in modern life
Fair trade- ensures all workers get fair deal, helps whole community.
For pragmatism, what should a decision maker ask himself?
What will work in this situation, what will produce the greatest love
How do actions become right or wrong?
Depending on their outcome
Which of Kant’s maxims does fletcher agree with?
Treat people as ends
