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Ethics > Situation Ethicss > Flashcards

Situation Ethicss Flashcards

1
Q

What is situation ethics?

A

A relative theory where one accompanies a reasonable and justifiable decision depending on the situation they are in.

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2
Q

What type of argument is this theory?

A

A teleological argument.

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3
Q

Who developed this theory?

A

Joseph Fletcher (1905-1991)

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4
Q

Who did Fletcher deeply study?

A

William Temple (1881-1944)

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5
Q

What approach was Temples ethics?

A

A personalist and love-centred approach. “Thou shalt love they neighbour as thyself”.

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6
Q

What does Fletcher reject and believe?

A

He rejects the legalism and antinomianism ethics. He believes that we need to find a balance between the two. The middle way.

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7
Q

Legalism:

A

Fixed moral rules that are universal and absolute.

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8
Q

Antinomianism:

A

The view that the rules and principles should be rejected.

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9
Q

What is Fletcher’s theory based on?

A

Agape love, meaning that no action is wrong or right, it is situational. Reason why the theory is a relativist theory.

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10
Q

What is agape love based on?

A

Based on the Christian love. The idea that love is unconditional and can be transferred from one stranger to another.

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11
Q

What are the three ethical postsions?

A
  • Legalistic: absolute, no exceptions and divine command theory.
  • Situational: love is the only absoulte, relativist and consequentialism.
  • Antinomianism: total autonomy, no rules and no absolutes.
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12
Q

What are the four working principles?

A
  1. Pragmatism = Must be practical.
  2. Relativism = No fixed rules. Only love is absoulte.
  3. Positivism = Must put faith before reasoning.
  4. Personalism = People should be the centre of the theory.
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13
Q

What are the six propostitions?

A
  1. “only one ‘thing’ is intrinsically good; namely love; nothing else at all”.
    - Love is the only absolute.
  2. “The ruling norm of Christian decision is love: nothing else”.
    - Christian decision making is based on love.
  3. “Love and justice are the same. For justice is love distributed nothing else”.
    - Justice is love distributed.
  4. “Love wills the neighbour’s good whether we like him or not”.
    - Love wants the good for anyone whoever they are.
  5. “Only the end justifies the means; nothing else”.
    - Only the end justifies the means.
  6. “Love’s decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively”.
    - Love is acted out situationally not prescriptively.
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14
Q

Faith and situation ethics:

A
  • Fletcher doesn’t make it clear that situation ethics requires Christian belief.
    [in the bible, Jesus makes love central]
    [Gospel of John emphasises the theme of love].
  • Fletcher gave up his Christian belief but not his situation ethics.
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15
Q

Fletcher on conscience:

A
  • our conscience is not a voice from within.
  • understands term conscience as a verb. Describes it as performing an act in a particular way.
  • our conscience is not reliable.
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16
Q

Aquinas’s view on conscience:

A
  • Aquinas, following Aristotle, treated our conscience as the practical reason.
  • Treats our conscience as our factuality of the mind, covering different aspects of thoughts.
  • Aquinas believes that our conscience is a gift from God.
17
Q

Example of lover over law:

A

-Jesus prevented a woman from being stoned, even though the law allowed her to be. This is evidence of personalism.

18
Q

CRITIQUE: Catholic Church response to situation ethics:

A
  • Pope banned situation ethics from being discussed.
  • It was wrong to break Gods law.
  • Situation ethics is subjective; because decisions are made depending on the situation being experienced.
19
Q

STRENGTHS:

A
  • Allows every situation to be individualised.
  • Main principle of the theory is agape love.
  • Encourages good behaviour.
  • Allows one to break rules for the greater good.
20
Q

WEAKNESS:

A
  • Agape love is too much to aspire to; and may be polluted by a selfish human tendency.
  • Fletcher seems equally too vague in defining what the good for people actually is.
  • If every situation is individualised, then surely this would result in a loss of rules and regulations.
  • D.Z Phillips questions whether we can ever be confident with the idea that we have truly done ‘the right thing’.

Ethics (5 decks)

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