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Situation Ethics, What is at the centre of Fletcher's situation…
Situation Ethics
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fletcher's concept of conscience
Conscience is a verb rather than a noun. It is something you do when you make decisions, as Fletcher puts it, ‘creatively.’
the definition of conscience-Conscience describes the weighing up of the possible decision before it is taken
- For example, the process of weighing up whether to have an abortion or not.
- A hypothetical example: you are living in Nazi Germany during World War II. Do you inform the Gestapo that there are Jewish people hiding in your neighbours' loft, ultimately obeying the law but putting their lives in danger, or do you deny any knowledge to the Gestapo - you would weigh up the decision in your conscience.
aquinas' definition of conscience-peter vardy points out that aquinas' definition of conscience comes closest to the truth- but it is in no sense a seperate faculty
- aquinas' defintion is that the conscience is 'reason seeking understanding'
what conscience is NOT-intuition
-a channel for divine guidance
-the internalised values of the individuals culture
-the part of reaon that makes value judgements
discussion points
moral descion making
Debates About Situation Ethics
Is situation ethics useful for making moral decisions? Is making moral decisions subjective and individualistic because situation ethics rejects absolute rules?
situation ethics is useful-it is flexible becayse it allows eple to use their free will to decide what the most loving action is. there is no objective right or wrong answer in any situation
-it is not rigid and devoid of any emotion(which distinguishes humans from othe rmammals) allowing people to show more empathy when appropriate
-it is based on one simple rule: namely love. for this reason, it is relative which means that we are not restriced by moral absolutes such as 'do not kill'
situation ethics is not useful-william barclay beleived humans cant be trusted to do the right thing and it would only work 'if all men were angels'
-this is supported by augustines interpretation of humanity- which is fallen
- augustine beleived that humans are inclined to sin and are selfish. for this reaosn, we cannot be trusted to make the correct ethical choices
-in 1952 Pope Pius XII called situationaism 'an individualistic and subjective' theory which will 'justify decisions in oppositions to the natural law'
Subjective & individualistic
-There are no boundaries in situation ethics because it does not abide by any form of legal system.
-Christian love can become individualistic (and potentially selfish). The individual has too much control or influence and people tend to be selfish.
-Augustine and Thomas Hobbes (pictured) both believed that it is in our human nature to be instinctively selfish.
-Subjectivity can never be the standard for human conduct: “all the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes” (Proverbs 16:2).
not subjective & individualistic
-situation ethics is based on the rule of love. so in some sense, is not individualistic because one must always do the most loving thing, even if they would prefer not to or it would endanger them or their families.
-jesus applied situation ethics and risked death by healing someone on the Sabbath. He did this on the basis of love
-there are many things the vast majority of society would agree on when it comes to love
Agape
Is Fletcher's Agape a Religious or Non-Religious Concept?
This debate looks at whether Fletcher's concept of agape is religious or whether it is non-religious, and just wanting the best for others in situations.
agape is religious
-situation ethics is linked to both the Golden Rule of Jesus (which outlines that we should 'treat others as we would like to be treated') and the teaching of St paul, who clearly outlined in his letter to the Corithians that love was the most important virtue
-Jesus regularly put love above the law, particularly when he healed a man on the Sabbath- the Jewish day of rest, on which it was strictly forbidden to undertake any form of work
situation ethics is relative-situation ethics is an approach that is relativeto the situation-unlike the catholic chuurch, which has set guidelinesand teachings that should be upheld
- the catholic church sets out the laws and guidance for catholics to follow, whereas situation ethics is individualistic. the church teachings are based on a hierarchy, instituted by the Pope and the Cardinals, not each individuals own opinion
sanctity of life example-eg, the catholic church has very clear rules regarding the sanctity of life (the idea that life is holy and belongs to God)
- in this respect, the catholic church would always view the ending of human life by another human as wrong
- situation ethics, on the other hand, would make this decision relative to the situation
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What is Conscience?
Conscience describes the weighing up of the possible decision before it is taken. For example, the process of weighing up whether to miss your friend's birthday and revise, or go to the party and risk failing your exam.