Ib Situation Ethics

Front 1

Joseph Fletcher's situation ethics is based on four working principles (the practise of following situation ethics). What are they?

Back 1

Pragmatism

Relativism

Positivism

Personalism

Front 2

Pragmatism

Back 2

What is good, must be judged on the basis of what works. (practical approach)

Front 3

Relativism

Back 3

Rather than universally true, all beliefs and ideas are relative; Their validity depends on the circumstances in which they're applied.

This doesn't mean that everything is relative; instead focusing on the principle of love.

(The way that love is carried out may be different from one situation to another)

Front 4

Positivism

Back 4

faith claims cannot be proven to be true rationalistically. They can only be affirmed by the person who chooses to believe their accuracy. Situationism isn't about trying to prove an ethical conclusion to be true, instead seeks to provide justification for the ethical decision

Takes the principles of religion, but allows people to use their free will to adapt these priniples to ensure that in any situation, the freely chosen love (god) is promoted

Front 5

Personalism

Back 5

A theory/ system based on subjective ideas or applications; the quality of being personal.

Situation ethics has love as its primary standard, focusing on love as it relates to people. It would be pointless to have an ethical system that is based upon a code or rule with no regard for the people as ethics cannot be separated from people.

Situationalist puts people first when making his decisions

Front 6

Situation ethics is based on six fundamental principles (concept of situation ethics)

Back 6

Only one thing is intrinsically good; namely love: nothing else at all.

The ruling norm of Christian decision is love: nothing else. (love replaces law, although this allows people to do anything as long it is in the name of love)

Love and Justice are the same, for justice is love distributed, nothing else. (if love was properly shared out, there would be no injustice)

Love wills the neighbour's good, whether we like him or not.

Only the end justifies the means; nothing else.

Love's decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively.

Front 7

Agape love

Back 7

Benevolenve or good will, or as giving love constantly and unconditionally, regardless of the actions of the loved one.

Front 8

Antinomian ethics

Back 8

No guidelines or principles, not even love, can tell us whether an action is right or wrong.

Front 9

Law of love

Back 9

The ultimate low because it is the negation of law

Front 10

Intrinsically good

Back 10

Something food and worthwhile not because it leads to something else, but for its own sake alone

Front 11

Strengths of situation ethics

Back 11

Applicable to all situations

Brings up faults in opposing arguments

Easy/ practical to follow

It is flexible and can make tough decisions when from a legalistic perspective all actions seem wrong

Able to adapt outdated bible rules

Front 12

Weaknesses of situation ethics

Back 12

Individualistic- see things from their own perspective prone to human selfishness polluting agape love

Justifies actions that many regard simply wrong, in the name of love

Too general and simplistic, confusing, repetitive, inconsistent

Uses vague terms

Front 13

Fetcher's possible counterarguments to criticism

Back 13

Love is complex; he isn't contradicting, just picking each part

Because there are so many rules, then every situation has a guideline that you can apply

Front 14

Kirkwood criticises christianity in situation ethics because

Back 14

it isn't genuinely Christian ethics. Jesus' actions and some stories in the bible have to be dismissed as they aren't fully agape.

Although situation ethics still works as a principle and rejects Christianity eventually anyway.