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RE > Situation Ethics > Flashcards

Situation Ethics Flashcards

1
Q

What does deontological mean?

A

Certain actions are right and wrong in themselves

Deontologists live in a world of rules and laws and refuse to break them

Very rigid, simple to follow and understand

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2
Q

What is deontological ethics?

A

Some acts are universally wrong at all times and in all places

Anything against the law is wrong in all cases

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3
Q

What does teleological mean?

A

Teleologists are concerned with the consequences of an action before any action is taken

An action is only good if the end justifies the means

A teleologist would look at each scenario on its own, flexible

More complicated as ultimately do not know what consequences there may be from an action

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4
Q

What is teleological ethics?

A

An action is good if it achieves your ultimate goal (the end justifies the means)

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5
Q

What is agape?

A

The highest form of love there is

Unselfish

Unconditional love in spite of character flaws or weaknesses

‘The Golden Rule”

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6
Q

Who was Joseph Fletcher?

A

An American professor

Pioneer in bioethics (involved in areas of abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and cloning)

Active Christian but rejected 10 commandments

Against deontologists

Founder of Situation Ethics

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7
Q

When was Situation Ethics founded?

A

1960s

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8
Q

What is a quote from Fletcher about Situation Ethics?

A

“the morality of an action depends on the situation”

“morality is not about rules, it is about love”
Fletcher (1963)

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9
Q

What inspired Situation Ethics?

A

Jesus’ gospel message of love (agape)

“love thy neighbour as thyself”
“God is love”

Belief that this humanity’s ultimate duty

Situation ethics is based on the New Testament teaching of agape

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10
Q

What are the three different ways of making a moral decision (according to Fletcher)?

A

Legalistic ethics

Antinomian ethics

Situation ethics

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11
Q

What is legalistic ethics?

A

Has a set of moral rules and regulations

Judaism and Christianity both have legalistic ethical traditions e.g 10 commandments

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12
Q

What did Fletcher think about legalistic ethics?

A

Believed that life’s complexities required additional laws

Becomes complex and like a textbook morality

Believed that deontology is impractical

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13
Q

What is antinomian ethics?

A

Reverse of legalistic ethics

Literally means ‘against law’

A person using antinomian ethics doesn’t really use an ethical system at all, enters decision making as if each occasion is totally unique, spontaneity

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14
Q

What did Fletcher think about antinomian ethics?

A

Critical of this approach

“They are, exactly anarchic- i.e. without a rule”

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15
Q

What is situation ethics?

A

One single rule –> rule of agape

Love is not merely an emotion but involves doing what is best for the other person, unconditional

A situationist views all moral decisions as hypothetical, depends on what best serves love

All about the reason why choices are made

Popular ethical theory with liberal Christians

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16
Q

What are quotes from Fletcher about situation ethics?

A

“…situationist enters into the moral dilemma with principles and rules of his/her community… they are prepared to put rules aside if love seems better served by doing so”

“the situationist follows a moral law or violates it according to love’s needs”

17
Q

How did Fletcher make this theory easier to understand?

A

Used principles divided into two categories (The Four Working Principles and The Six Fundamental Principles)

18
Q

What are the Four Working Principles?

A

Pragmatism

Relativism

Positivism

Personalism

19
Q

What is pragmatism?

A

Moral actions must work or achieve some realistic goal

20
Q

What is relativism?

A

There are no fixed laws which mist always be obeyed, everything is relative

21
Q

What is positivism?

A

First place is given to Christian love, rooted in faith

22
Q

What is personalism?

A

People come first, not rules or ideals

23
Q

What is a quote from Fletcher relating to personalism?

A

“people are to be loved, not rules”

24
Q

What are the Six Fundamental Principles?

A

Only one thing is intrinsically good –> love

Love is the only norm –> love replaces law

Love and justice are the same

Love is not based on emotion

Only love justifies the means, nothing else

Love’s decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively

25
Q

Who supported situation ethics?

A

Bishop John Robinson in the 1960s

Taught that love was at the core of what it meant to be a Christian –> not about inflexible, absolute moral rules

“assertions about God are in the last analysis assertions about love”

26
Q

What is a quote from Luke 5 and how does this demonstrate agape?

A

“your sins are forgiven”

Jesus shows unconditional, agapeic love to someone he does not know and who may have sinned in the past

27
Q

What is a quote from Mark 12 and how does this demonstrate agape?

A

“love the Lord your God with all your heart… love your neighbour as yourself”

The most important rule is that of love, the greatest commandment is to treat everyone with agapeic love

28
Q

What is a quote from 1 Corinthians 13 and how does this demonstrate agape?

A

“love is patient, love is kind…it is not rude, it is not self-seeking… it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres”

Ultimate definition of what agape is

29
Q

What are some extra quotes from the Bible about agape?

A

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16

“whoever believes in him is not condemned” John 3:18

“Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” John 13:34

“above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” 1 Peter 4:8

30
Q

What are strengths of Situation Ethics?

A

Christian based system- consistent with teachings of Jesus, easy to apply and understand

Flexible, relativist system- enables people to make tough decisions in difficult circumstances

Emphasises love (agape)

Avoids conflicts of duty- where moral rules collide, SE gives a way of resolving the conflict through love

31
Q

What are weaknesses of Situation Ethics?

A

Christian based system- atheists and people from other faiths may not want to follow example of Jesus, moves away from 10 commandments

Unprincipled, relativist system- could allow for almost any action (in the name of love)

‘Love’ is very subjective- people will naturally disagree about what ‘loving behaviour’ is

Difficult to predict future results of actions- making consequential, teleological decisions based on love is unreliable

32
Q

What do situationists say about moral actions and a quote from Fletcher?

A

Believe that no moral action is right or wrong in itself

“we are prepared to set these rules aside if love seems better served by doing so”

33
Q

What is the example of the Syphilitic Man?

A

Fletcher describes the situation of a man withholding from is fiancé the fact that he has syphilis (STD)

34
Q

What is Fletcher’s response to this example of lying?

A

Believes the man’s actions are wrong and unjust

If he is prepared to lie about this, he is likely to lie about other important things- shows a lack of love for one’s neighbour

Love is not best served by lying

35
Q

What is the example of the WW2 secret agents?

A

Fletcher describes decision made by British Intelligence in WW2 to let a group of female spies return to Germany knowing that they would die, in order to keep secret the fact that they had broken the German code

36
Q

What is Fletcher’s response to this example of lying?

A

Fletcher accepts this action as morally acceptable as more lives were saved in the long run so love was best served

Fletcher introduced an ‘agapeic calculator’ to determine

37
Q

What is the example of the schizophrenic patient?

A

Fletcher describes situation where nurses lie to seriously ill patients to keep them calm

38
Q

What is Fletcher’s response to this example of lying?

A

Fletcher suggests that where a nurse lies a patient to keep them calm and anxiety free, love is best served

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