Situation Ethics

Question 1

What is the main principle of situation ethics?

Answer 1

The right thing to do is the one that is most loving

Question 2

What is William temple’s view of situation ethics?

Answer 2

He believes that one should love their neighbour as they do themselves and believes this to be the only rule needed for moral duty

Question 3

What is Paul Tillich’ science of situation ethics?

Answer 3

The law of love is the only important moral law as it always arrives at the correct answer. It is consistent and not fanatical.

Question 4

What is Justin fletcher’s view of situation ethics?

Answer 4

He believes that every principle is sometimes interrupted by what is morally right in a certain situation

Question 5

What are the 4 working principles of situation ethics?

Answer 5

• pragmatism= the consequence of every action must be love and must work
• relativism= no fixed rules, but always relative to love
• positivism= applying natural human experience and reason to Christian ideas or morality
• personalism= morals depend on the priorities of an individual- putting people first

Question 6

What are the 6 fundamental principles of situation ethics?

Answer 6

1. Actions aren’t intrinsically good - loving consequences
2. Love replaces law where necessary
3. Justice is love distributed/ fairly and equally
4. Love is not sentimental or erotic, but a desire for the good of another - agape love - unconditional
5. When weighing up a situation, one must consider the desired ends and motives
6. Made situationally, not conditionally

Question 7

What are the strengths of situation ethics?

Answer 7

• takes into account the complexities of human life
• love can give more of a positive outcome- rewarding
• goal of Jesus
• morality for its own sake- not to obey authority
• allows freedom when making choices/ feee will

Question 8

What are the weaknesses of situation ethics?

Answer 8

• must loving thing isn’t necessarily the right thing
• puts humans on the same omniscience level as God
• too subjective
• gap of ambiguity between loving ‘attitude’, ‘sight’ or ‘consequences’
• immeasurable