Situation Ethics

Question 1

What is antinomianism ?

Answer 1

The belief that there should be NO laws or principles governing human behaviour

Question 2

What are legalists?

Answer 2

Strictly follow society’s rules

Question 3

What is situation ethics?

Answer 3

The method of ethical decision making that focuses on what is the most loving thing to do

Question 4

Who was the founder of situation ethics?

Answer 4

Joseph fletcher

Question 5

Why was there a decline of religion in the 60s?

Answer 5

1)insucurity from world wars
2)rise of science(big bang)
3)rise of media
4)struggle to relate the bible to new medical advances

Question 6

State the four presuppositions /working principles

Answer 6

Pragmatism-morality is about facts/actions/what maximises love
Relativism- morality is relative to the situation
Positivism-‘we should love one another because love is from God
Persinalism-people come before laws

Question 7

State the 4 theories about consciousness

Answer 7

1)it is innate (within)
2)guidance by the Holy Spirit
3)internalised values of society
4)reason for making moral judgments

Question 8

Explain love is always good

Answer 8

-love is the only thing that is intrinsically good
-whatever is loving is right

Question 9

Explain love is the only norm

Answer 9

-love replaces the law
-Jesus goes against the Torah laws with the laws of love
-laws restrict morality

Question 10

Explain love and justice are the same

Answer 10

-love becomes justice >caring for all
-calculation based on agape
-work out the most love to come out of a situation

Question 11

Love is not liking

Answer 11

-we should promote others well being even if we do not like them
-willed love can be commanded ,not emotions

Question 12

Explain love justifies the means

Answer 12

-the end justifies the means

Question 13

Explain Love decides there and then

Answer 13

-focus on the situation

Question 14

State Jesus views on sexual ethics (according to fletcher)

Answer 14

-jesus only makes comments on condemning adultery and divorce
-Jesus says nothing about contraception, not procreating ,homosexuality,abortion, sex before marriage…

Question 15

State the Strengths of fletchers situation ethics

Answer 15

-promotes social justice [forces people to analyse it in terms of desired end]
-based on Christian ethical approaches [Jesus acted situationally not legalistically]
-fletcher presuppositions seem to be good ones
-focuses on helping people [even legalists have moved away from the letter of the law towards agapeic law

Question 16

State the Weaknesses of fletchers situation ethics

Answer 16

• they reflect extreme situations rather than ‘real life’
  -the amount of responsibility it puts upon the individual [more moral responsibility +authority,asks to put the welfare of their neighbours before themselves when humans have a natural tendency towards selfishness.
  -obsessive love is not agape love