Situation Ethics Flashcards
What are the key words?
Situationism Relativist Biblicist Legalistic Antinomian Agape Jesus Mrs Bergmeier Sacrafical suicide Hiroshima 4 working principles 6 propositions conscience
Who’s theory is it?
Joseph Fletcher
What is his theory?
Situation ethics is a relativist approach to Christian ethics. Joseph Fletcher writing in the 1960s thought the Biblicist approach to ethics was too legalist but the antinomian (each person decides what’s right) was too open to abuse. He suggested he only rule should be agape. A Christian should follow Jesus’ example a decide the most loving thing in each situation as he chose to work on the Sabbath telling the Pharisees they followed the letter but not the heart of the law. Situation ethics is teleological and concerned with the most loving outcome. He gave the example of Mrs Bergmeier, sacrificial suicide, and Hiroshima. He derived 4 working principles and 6 propositions to help decision making. Fletcher thought the conscience is not a built-in moral compass but a process of reason - not something we have but something we do.
What is the Mrs Bergmeier example?
Towards the end of WW2 Mrs Bergmeier is separated from her family when she is taken to a Russian work camp. She is told that the only way to get sent home is either to fall sick or pregnant. She enlists the help of a “friendly” camp guard, succeeds in conceiving a child, and is reunited with her family. The husband fully understands the circumstances of her adultery and welcomes the baby as his own.
What are the 6 propositions?
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)
What are the 6 propositions?
1) only love is intrinsically good
2) The end justifies the means
3) Love wills the neighbour’s good
4) love and justice are the same
5) Love’s decisions are made situationally
6) The ruling norm of Christian decision is love
What are the strengths of the theory?
+ More flexible than Natural Law as although NL is proportional it is also prescriptive and followers are hesitant to break the rules
+ Treats us like adults by assuming we are wise enough to make our own decisions and don’t have to follow rules others make
+ It demands the most loving thing if we like the person or not so saves us from personal bias
What are the weaknesses?
- We can’t predict the consequences eg) Mrs Bergmeier
- Situation ethics does not define a situation - where do we draw the line?
- What may be loving for one is not for another
- Most of us need basic rules to abide by and don’t want to make lengthy calculations
- McQuarrie says it is too individualistic and it is difficult to see how it could be applied to society
