Situation Ethics

Situation Ethics

1. Fletcher

   • Fletcher is the father of situation ethics.
     • Situation ethics is more concerned with love and people than rules, situation ethics is prepared to set aside rules in the situation where love seems better served by doing so. "the situationist follows a moral law or violates it according to love's needs" - Fletcher
     • teleological ethics states that morality is dependent on the outcome, in other words, the end justifies the means.
   • The Six Fundamental Principles
     • Fifth
       • The end must be the most loving result. you cant claim to be right by following a rule, if you know it'll cause great harm. "Only the end justifies the means, nothing else."
     • Third
       • With justice comes love. Any injustice is an example of lack of love, e.g. child starving. if love was properly shared there would be no injustice. "Love and justice are the same, for justice is love distributed, nothing else."
     • First
       • Only love is always good, actions are not intrinsically good or bad, it depends on whether you create the most loving result "Only one thing is intrinsically good; namely love: nothing else at all."
     • Fourth
       • Love isn't a matter of sentimental feeling, but the attitude towards the other person. Agape love goes out to anyone, even those you don't like, love isn't liking. "Love wills the neighbor's good, whether we like him or not."
     • Sixth
       • Right/Wrong depends on situation. Most love = right. " love's decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively."
     • Second
       • Love replaces law. Jesus healed on the Sabbath day. Law should be obeyed if in the interest of love. "The love is self-giving love, which seeks the nest interests of others but allows people the responsibility to choose the right thing for themselves"

2. Four Presumptions

   • Personalism
     • People are more important than rules, Jesus healed on the Sabbath day, putting people over rules.
   • Relativism
     • All circumstances are different "it relativises the absolute, it does not absolutise the relative", - Fletcher
   • Positivism
     • you must start with a positive choice and voluntarily want to do good.
   • Pragmatism
     • In order to be right you must work towards love.