Situation Ethics

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  • Created by: T Colby
  • Created on: 25-01-16 18:58
Situation Ethics (SE) has become more popular as people have turned away from what and towards what?
Away from legalism (religion) and towards antinomianism (the abandonment of rules).
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Why did Joseph Fletcher and John Robinson form SE?
Sought to find a way to explain Christian moral decision making without the doom and gloom associated with religion.
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What did Robinson say that SE was for?
"Man come of age".
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Robinson and Paul Tillich suggested that God could be understood as what?
"The ground of our being".
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What did Fletcher say about the morality of an action?
"The morality of an action depends on the situation".
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What is the one principle that SE is based on?
Do the most loving thing.
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What is the type of love in the one principle?
Unconditional from one human to another and not sexual attraction or any relationship. Agape.
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What are Fletcher's four working principles of SE?
Pragmatism, positivism, personalism and relativism.
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Define pragmatism.
What the most practical thing to do is. It is good if it is working for the best.
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Define relativism.
Love is the only thing relevant to all situations.
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Define positivism.
This is the most important criterion of all and the most important thing when making a moral choice.
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Define personalism.
SE puts humans and their concerns at the centre of morality unlike rules and laws which are detrimental.
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What is SE based on?
The teachings of Jesus.
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Who discusssed Agape in the Bible?
Jesus and St. Paul.
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What are the six fundamental principles of SE?
Love is always good, love is the only norm, love and justice are the same, love is justice distributed, love wills the neighbour's good whether we like them or not, love is the only means and love decides there and then.
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How did the Roman Catholic Church ciriticise SE?
Pope Pius XII said it is individualistic, prepared to accept any action as long as love is a consequence and it is entirely subjective.
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What is meant by love is always good?
Actions are only good if they help humans and they are bad if they jurt people.
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What is meant by love is the only norm?
Jesus and St. Paul recongnised the Torah with the principle of love, in the past Christians have broken the 10 Commandments in order to do the right thing.
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What is meant by love and justice are the same and love is justice distributed?
Love and justice cannot be seperated.
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What is meant by love wills the neighbour's good, whether we like them or not?
Your neighbour is anybody and agape love goes out to everyone.
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What is meant by love in the only means?
When weighing up a situation, one must consider what you want the outcome to be and what you need to do to get there. Fletcher said the end must be the most loving thing.
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What did William Barclay state about SE?
Fletcher and Robinson's examples are too extreme and that the suggestion that laws could be abandoned if needed is too optimistic and that is is hard for individuals to make their own moral decisions in all situations.
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Give one of Fletcher's examples that explained SE?
Sacrificial adultery where a POW woman debates on whether to commit adultery in order to be released and sent back to her family.
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What are the strengths of SE?
Provides a clear alternative to Christian Ethics, flexible, practical, easy to understand (one principle), no conventional rules and based on love which is helpful and easy emotionally.
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What are the weaknesses of SE?
Is is subjective, individualistic, prepared to accept any action, inconsistent with Biblical teachings, unlikely that we'll face Fletcher and Robinson's extrem examples, people need rules and laws to behave and personal preferences get in the way.
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Card 2

Front

Why did Joseph Fletcher and John Robinson form SE?

Back

Sought to find a way to explain Christian moral decision making without the doom and gloom associated with religion.

Card 3

Front

What did Robinson say that SE was for?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Robinson and Paul Tillich suggested that God could be understood as what?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What did Fletcher say about the morality of an action?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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