Situation Ethics

Question 1

What does fletcher emphasise?

Answer 1

The idea of being Christ like

He disagrees with the traditionalist view of ethics

Question 2

What did fletcher consider situationalism a middle way between?

Answer 2

Antinomianism

Legalism

Question 3

What is antinomianism?

Answer 3

Means ‘against law’ in Greek

No moral principles

Question 4

What is legalism?

Answer 4

Decisions should be made in accordance with strict rules

Question 5

What are teleological theories interested in?

Answer 5

The ends of actions rather than the means

Life shouldn’t be governed by a strict code of conduct

Question 6

What does teleological derive from?

Answer 6

The Greek telos meaning end/purpose

Question 7

What situationalist thing does Jesus do in Mark?

Answer 7

Let disciples pick the heads of grain on the sabbath

‘The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath’

Question 8

What is agape?

Answer 8

A Greek term used to refer to the Christian ideal of selfless love
‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self’

Question 9

What are C. S. Lewis’ four loves?

Answer 9

Philia- friendship
Eros- sexual
Agape- charity. The highest form of love for Lewis
Storge- affection

Question 10

What does fletcher say about love?

Answer 10

‘There is only one thing that is always good and right, regardless of the context, and that one thing is love’

Question 11

Name fletchers 4 presuppositions

Answer 11

Pragmatism
Positivism
Personalism
Relativism

Question 12

What is pragmatism?

Answer 12

Moral demands should be practical and achieve the intended outcome, love

Question 13

What is positivism?

Answer 13

Being able to say that god is love on the basis of faith

Question 14

What is personalism?

Answer 14

The needs and importance of people are considered first

Question 15

What is relativism?

Answer 15

All situations should be assessed on how best to demonstrate love

Question 16

What are intrinsic goods?

Answer 16

Good in themselves

Question 17

What are instrumental goods?

Answer 17

Only considered good because they lead to some other good

Question 18

How many fundamental principles does fletcher have?

Answer 18

6

Question 19

List 3 of fletchers fundamental principles

Answer 19

Love is the only intrinsic good
Love and justice are synonymous
Love should be shown whether you like the person or not

Question 20

What is fletchers mrs bergmeier example?

Answer 20

Mrs Bergmeier persuaded a Russian guard in World War Two to impregnate her so she could go back to Germany

Question 21

What does fletcher say about rules?

Answer 21

‘The situationalist follows a moral law or violates it according to loves need’

Question 22

What does William Barclay say about fletchers cases?

Answer 22

They’re too extreme

Question 23

What is negative about eradicating the law?

Answer 23

It has several vital functions

Question 24

What is negative about the human responsibility of SE?

Answer 24

Our ideas of love are subjective

Hard to determine the outcome of an action

Question 25

What does J. A. T. Robinson say about SE?

Answer 25

It is ‘an ethic for humanity comes of age’

Allows people to be responsible for their own decisions

Question 26

What is positive about the flexibility of SE?

Answer 26

Not tied down to the observance of rules

Proportionate reason to break ethical principles