Situation Ethics

Question 1

What is Situation Ethics?

10m&15m

Answer 1

It is a teleological argument as it focuses on having the most loving outcome in every situation so we reach eudaimonia or telos.

Question 2

Who came up with SE?

10m&15m

Answer 2

Fletcher came up with SE to make sure that people show agapic love to one another.

Question 3

What are the 4 working principles?

10m&15m

Answer 3

1) Personalism - put the human first ‘do unto others as you want them done unto you’ - jesus
2) Pragmatism - it must be practical in all situations
3) Positivism - if you act with love it will always give you a good outcome
4) Realism - love is always relevant and can be applied to all situation no matter what it is

Question 4

What is the 6 fundamental principles?

10m&15m

Answer 4

1) Love Is Always Good - it is the only thing that needs to be considered
2) Love Is The Only Norm - norms and values can be broken to allow to be successfully used.
3) Love And Justice Are The Same - you can break the law if it is the most loving thing to do in that situation.
4) Love Wills The Neighbors Good - love is unconditional not matter what we should do good
5) Love Is The Only Means - the action is always justified by a loving consequence
6) Love Decides There And Then - there are no absolutes as love is situational and personal so it can change

Question 5

What is SE based off of?

10m&15M

Answer 5

it is based off of Jesus’ teachings such as :
the golden rule
the story of the adulterous woman
Mark 3:1-6 heals a man on the sabbath

Question 6

Strengths of SE

Answer 6

1) More in line with Jesus’ teachings - why would god send himself down for us to reject him
2) Flexible and practical
3) Everyone has an experience and a definition of love know what we want to feel and to make other feel
4) Easy to understand as it is simple
5) Won’t ever become outdated as it is flexible and depend on what they individual think is loving

Question 7

Weaknesses of SE

Answer 7

1) rejected by the catholics by Pope Pius XII - just focus on the individual not the greater scheme of things.
2) Love doesn’t have the same definition for everyone as it i subjective - loving for 1 may find outrageous
3) Allows murder and rape as long as they are done with love
4) Why would god put the 10 commandments and other laws if we couldn’t use them in our daily life?
5) How practical is it in extreme cases - whos point of view does it need to be loving from
6) if we existed like this there would be no uniform behavior - the world would be in chaos as it might be most loving for you but to others it is the most loving to society