Situation Ethics

Question 1

SE Classes:

Answer 1

Relativist - depends on circumstances

Religious - hmmmm, idk

Question 2

SE Basics:

Answer 2

Tries to avoid being too legalistic or too antinomian - bases all decisions on agape - what’s the most loving thing to do. Formed in reaction to the 60s and the movement towards less legalistic tendencies (like the NL of the Catholic Church). Boss principle is love God through your neighbour. Culture is guiding maxims, but should be broken if it’s more loving to do so

Question 3

Four Working Principles:

Answer 3

Pragmatism - it’s gotta work
Relativism - no fixed rules
Positivism - free decision, positively choosing to do the most agape thing
Personalism - do what helps people the most

Question 4

Six Fundamental Propositions:

Answer 4

1. Only love is always good - right and wrong aren’t intrinsic, they just apply to actions based on how much it serves love
2. Love is the only norm - only follow love, not the law, as love doesn’t share its authority
3. Love and justice are the same, as justice is love distributed - love can be calculating and careful, not just to one person at a time, as all people link to others
4. Loving is not liking - agape not philia
5. Love justifies its means - means aren’t good or bad, but if love is served they become good
6. Love decides there and then - you can have little a impulsiveness, as a treat - we can’t be perfect so there’s no point agonising over a decision

Question 5

SE Advantages:

Answer 5

People over principles, combines justice and love, flexible, allows free will, doesn’t reject laws, agape is nice

Question 6

SE Disadvantages:

Answer 6

Got rejected by the Catholic Church, can be rash, rules are useful, struggles with large scale issues, end doesn’t always justify the means, can’t be unbiased, people may come to different conclusions about the same situation