Four Working Principles in Situation Ethics

Pragmatism
1. solution needs to be practical
2. "All are agreed: the good is what works, what is expedient, what gives satisfaction." -Fletcher
3. a moral solution is only good if it is workable in practice
Relativism
1. 'the situationalist avoids words such as 'never' and 'perfect' and 'always' and 'complete' as he avoids the plague, as he avoids 'absolutely'- Fletcher
2. need something from which to be relative
  1. agapeic love: it relatavises the absolute, it does not absolute the relative
3. there is no absolute principle and every decision depends upon the situation or context
Positivism
1. statements of faith precede reason
2. statements of faith are accepted volutarily, and readson is then used to work within/work out one's faith
3. opposes: reason is basis of faith
4. faith comes first
5. the Christian does not understand God in terms of love; he understands love in terms of God seen in Christ
Personalism
1. ethics deals with people, not numbers
  1. difference between SE and util.
2. people > priorities
3. Situation ethics puts people at the centre of concern, not things

Resource summary

	Created by jessica.lovell over 10 years ago