Situation Ethics: Strengths & Weaknesses - Advantages and disadvantages table in A Level and IB Ethics

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Created by: nelliott
Created on: 22-06-21 14:50

Situation Ethics: Strengths & Weaknesses

Advantages

People are more than principles
Accepts that societies change over time
Easy to understand as it is based on the absolute principle of love
Gives people the ability to use their own judgement
Provides an alternative Christian ethical code
Avoids the problem of conflicts of duty
Appeals to atheists and humanists

Disadvantages

Not possible to work out all the moral implications of a decision
Very individualistic and can lead to being selfish
Certain actions are wrong in themselves
Love is subjective
Slippery slope if we dispense of all laws
Can lead to an unstable society
The end does not always justify the means
It is a Christian system, therefore people of other faiths may not want to follow it
People may not be intelligent enough to work out consequences of their actions

Evaluation

Although there are many positives of SE, it is easy to criticise. At face value, it appears to be an effective ethical theory. Its emphasis of love is something most people can appreciate and want to achieve. However, it still has many problems.

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