Four Working Principles in Situation Ethics

Four Working Principles in Situation Ethics

1. Pragmatism

   • solution needs to be practical
   • "All are agreed: the good is what works, what is expedient, what gives satisfaction." -Fletcher
   • a moral solution is only good if it is workable in practice

2. Relativism

   • 'the situationalist avoids words such as 'never' and 'perfect' and 'always' and 'complete' as he avoids the plague, as he avoids 'absolutely'- Fletcher
   • need something from which to be relative
     • agapeic love: it relatavises the absolute, it does not absolute the relative
   • there is no absolute principle and every decision depends upon the situation or context

3. Positivism

   • statements of faith precede reason
   • statements of faith are accepted volutarily, and readson is then used to work within/work out one's faith
   • opposes: reason is basis of faith
   • faith comes first
   • the Christian does not understand God in terms of love; he understands love in terms of God seen in Christ

4. Personalism

   • ethics deals with people, not numbers
     • difference between SE and util.
   • people > priorities
   • Situation ethics puts people at the centre of concern, not things