Situation Ethics - AO1

Question 1

Who’s thoughts had Joseph Fletcher studied?

Answer 1

Archbishop William Temple

Question 2

Quote William Temple on the idea of Agape

Answer 2

“It is axiomatic that Love should be the predominant Christian Impulse”

Question 3

What type of theory is Situation Ethics

Answer 3

An altruistic and teleological theory

Question 4

Define Agape

Answer 4

A greek word meaning love adopted by Christians to refer to Jesus’ sacrificial and generous love for others

Question 5

Define Personalism

Answer 5

The belief that all good is always good for a person or persons and never abstract.

Question 6

What are the 3 approaches to moral life?

Answer 6

Legalism - always following fixed moral rules and are universal, Fletcher saw this to be a major fault and leaded to Puritanism
Antinomianism - A person can do whatever they please (no rules), found in the ideas of Nietsche and other existentialists
Situationism - Fletcher’s belief in the rule of love that must be applied situationally

Question 7

What are the 4 working principles?

Answer 7

1) Pragmatism - Seeking workable, practical solutions rather than using something abstract
2) Relativism - The belief that the moral act should be relative to the needs of the performer and the situation
3) Positivism - The commitment to a God of love and to love as the man requirement of a moral life
4) Personalism - Requires we place people, not principles/rules at the centre of our moral considerations

Question 8

Give an example of the use of Pragmatism

Answer 8

• During the Bosnian conflict of 1990
• Rape was used as a weapon against civilian women
• The Church acted practically and allowed contraception as a protective method
• They found a working practical solution

Question 9

Examples of Relativism? (Quote)

Answer 9

“Relativises the absolute not absolutise the relative” - Fletcher

• Relativise concrete rules and apply it to the needs of the performer and situation
• Jesus breaking the Sabbath to heal people

Question 10

Examples of Positivism? (Quote)

Answer 10

“Christian ethics posits faith in God and reasons our what obedience to his commandments to love requires in any situation” - Fletcher

Question 11

Examples of Personalism? (Quote)

Answer 11

“Love is of people, by people and for people” - Fletcher

Question 12

What are the 6 propositions Fletcher presents?

Answer 12

1) Only one ‘thing’ is intrinsically good; namely love: nothing else at all
2) The ruling norm of Christian decision is love: nothing else
3) Love and justice are the same, for justice is love distributed, nothing else
4) Love wills the neighbours good whether we like him or not
5) Only the ends justifies the means; nothing else
6) Loves decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively

Question 13

Quote for the 1st proposition

Answer 13

“There is only one thing that is good and right, intrinsically good regardless of the context and that one thing is love” - Fletcher

Question 14

Argument for the 2nd proposition

Answer 14

Fletcher argues some rules from the Old Testament ate commonly broken, e.g image in worship, oaths by priests and work on Sunday

Question 15

Argument for the 3rd proposition

Answer 15

Calculating preferential love, e.g giving blood to a mother of 3 over a convicted murderer

Question 16

Argument for the 4th Proposition

Answer 16

• Love is concerned with attitude, not a matter of feeling

- Agape love is unconditional

Question 17

Arguments for the 5th Proposition

Answer 17

• Whether an act is lawful or not is irrelevant

- WW2 the resistance lived on forged passports, stolen supplies and killed their own to avoid exposure

Question 18

Quote for the 6th proposition

Answer 18

“Whether any form of sex… good or evil depends on whether love is fully served” - Fletcher

Question 19

What is Fletchers view on the conscience?

Answer 19

A verb not a noun, a process not a thing. Conscience is a reasoning tool not a voice.