Situation Ethics

Question 1

Quote from fletcher about morality

Answer 1

“The morality of an action depends on the situation”

Question 2

What is the key principle of se and quote from Bible to support

Answer 2

Love - “when asked what the most important commandment were, Jesus replied “love god … and love your neighbour as yourself”

Question 3

What are the rules of se

Answer 3

Only rule is to follow most loving course of action, no two situations are the same so needs to be reconsidered every time e.g lying in some situation can be justified if most loving thing to do

Question 4

What is agape love

Answer 4

Unconditional, selfless, sacrificial love - non reciprocal + about action

Question 5

How can the 6 propositions be used

Answer 5

Should be kept in mind when deciding on a course of action

Question 6

What are the 6 propositions

Answer 6

1. Only love is always good
2. Love is the only rule (gives people freedom + encourages to be responsible)
3. Love + justice are the same (agape expresses itself through justice)
4. Love wills the neighbours good, whether we like them or not (agape is selfless)
5. The end justifies the means (doesn’t matter how u do it)
6. Loves decisions are made subjectively (demands of situation override Deontological rules)

Question 7

Quotes from fletcher for proposition 1 and 5

Answer 7

1. “Only one thing is intrinsically good;namely love: nothing else at all”
2. “Only the end justifies the means, nothing else”

Question 8

How can use 4 working principles

Answer 8

Offer further guidance on how law of love should be applied

Question 9

What are the 4 working principles

Answer 9

1. Pragmatism
2. Positivism
3. Personalism
4. Relativism

Question 10

What is working principle 1

Answer 10

Pragmatism - moral actions must work or achieve a realistic goal - be practical rather than following belief system

Question 11

What is working principle 2

Answer 11

Positivism - decision not based on objective moral laws but on what brings most love

Question 12

What is working principle 3

Answer 12

Personalism - puts people first, at centre of decisions

Question 13

What is working principle 4

Answer 13

Relativism - no fixed laws that must always be obeyed, instead related to facts of situation

Question 14

How does fletcher redefine conscience

Answer 14

Enables you to figure out requirements of agape in your situation instead of a source of objective moral knowledge

Question 15

Strengths of se

Answer 15

• is flexible, gives people personal freedom to decide what most loving action is and take responsibility for own moral decision making (do t hide behind rules)
• timeless in application as doesn’t lead to out of date rules governing modern decisions
• love as a principle is hard to object to as if love others will want what’s best for them — more compassionate approach compared to other theories (ut)
• based on greatest commandment + fits with js actions
• 6 props and 4 working principles provide a clear framework which helps in moral decision making which leads to agape

Question 16

Weaknesses of se

Answer 16

• what is most loving action + what does it mean in practice? - everyone is subjective amd have own interps of what is loving, 2 people using same system could come to opposite concs so is inadequate
• is a teleological theory and so requires us to be able to make predictions about the outcome actions will produce- don’t always know action will produce most loving outcome
• William Barclay - people only do things they have to (laws) not because they should, arrogant to claim we can turn our backs on laws and traditions