situation ethics

Question 1

what does teleological mean?

Answer 1

• interested in the ends of actions

Question 2

what is the principle of utility?

Answer 2

• the right action is the one which maximises pleasure and minimises pain for the greatest number of people

Question 3

who developed the principle of utility?

Answer 3

• Jeremy Bentham

Question 4

what was Fletchers core belief?

Answer 4

• love should be at the heart of all ethical decision making

Question 5

what did Fletcher see situationalism as a mid-way between?

Answer 5

• antinomianism

- legalism

Question 6

what does antinomianism mean?

Answer 6

• people should be free to do whatever they see fit in any given situation

Question 7

what does legalism mean?

Answer 7

• ethical decisions should always be made in accordance with a set of strict rules or commands

Question 8

how come Fletcher became an atheist?

Answer 8

• he didn’t see Bible thumping and moral condemnation as a suitable response to dramatic shifts in social attitudes

Question 9

what does Fletcher believe the principle people should appeal to is when making ethical decisions?

Answer 9

• agape

Question 10

what is agape?

Answer 10

• Christian ideal of selfless love

- should be shown regardless of whether you like the other person or not

Question 11

quote for agape?

Answer 11

“thou shalt love they neighbour as thyself”

Question 12

quote for love and God?

Answer 12

“whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love”

Question 13

what are Fletchers 4 presuppositions?

Answer 13

• pragmatism
• relativism
• positivism
• personalism

Question 14

what is pragmatism?

Answer 14

• moral demands should be practical and achieve the intended outcome, which is love

Question 15

what is relativism ?

Answer 15

• all situations should be assessed on how to best demonstrate love

Question 16

what is positivism?

Answer 16

• being able to say God is love on the basis of faith

Question 17

what is personalism?

Answer 17

• demands that the needs and importance of people are considered first

Question 18

what are intrinsic goods?

Answer 18

• good in themselves

Question 19

what are instrumental goods?

Answer 19

• only considered good because they lead to some other good end

Question 20

what are the 6 fundamental principles?

Answer 20

• only love is intrinsically good
• the ruling norm of Christian decision is love
• justice is love distributed
• love wills the neighbours good
• only the ends justifies the means
• loves decisions are made situationally

Question 21

strengths of situation ethics?

Answer 21

• follows the life of Jesus
• puts people before rules (personalism)
• promotes individual autonomy
• flexible
• focuses on helping people

Question 22

weaknesses of situation ethics?

Answer 22

• puts mass amounts of responsibility on people
• the wisdom of great moral teachings can be thrown away at the whim of an individual
• there may be no consensus on what the most loving thing is