Situation Ethics

• Definition

  An ethical theory that states the rightness or wrongness of an action depends on what produces the most loving outcome

  You must be willing to put all experience/ past ethical ideas aside if the principle of love (Agape) is best served
• Type of Theory

  Relativist

  Consequentialist

  Teleological
• Key Philosopher and his works

  Joseph Fletcher 1905-1991

  Situation Ethics, a new morality
• Quotes of William Temple and Tillich

  'There is only one ultimate and invariable duty, and its formula is 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.'' (Temple)

  'The law of love is the ultimate law because it is the negation of law' (Paul Tillich)
• Legalistic Ethics

  Set of pre-fabricated rules + regulations eg. Christianity or Judaism

  
  

  Deontological + Absolutist

  
  

  Fletcher: Legalistic ethics runs into problems when life's complexity requires additional laws eg. Murder is prohibited therefore the difference between murder and self-defence has to be clarified

  
  

  All complex alternatives (self-defence, abortion, killing in war, euthanasia)
• Antinomian Ethics

  The complete opposite of legalistic ethics.

  Does not imply any ethical system at all

  No Rules

  Enters every situation uniquely and moral decisions are based on spontaneity.

  "It is literally unprincipled..."- Fletcher

  Fletcher rejected this
• Situation Ethics

  Love (agape) and people over rules (personalism)

  The situation influences whether rules should be set aside

  Use reason to implement moral choices

  The middle way between antinomianism and legalism

  'The situationist follows a moral code or violates it according to loves need.'- Fletcher
• Four working principles: Pragmatism


  The outcome must work practically

  To be right, the course of action should work in practice and towards love.
• Four working principles: Positivism


  Start with a positive choice and voluntarily want to do good.

  A value judgment has to be made giving first place to love
• Four working principles: Relativism


  Rejects 'always', 'never', and 'absolute'.

  No fixed rules because all situations are different,

  BUT all situations must be relative to agape.
• Four working principles: Personalism


  People over laws and rules

  eg. Jesus healing on the sabbath
• 1960's Context

  Growing distrust of the government

  WW11: Men away, women working w/ men at war

  Development in women's rights, change in family structure

  Reliable contraception = sexual freedom

  Changes in Law: Divorce and abortion
• Churches' response to changes

  Fletcher believed that the church needed a 'new morality'

  • Developed in the 1960's when he was an episcopal priest
  • 'The morality of an action depends on the situation'
• Agape love

  Unconditional self giving love
• Rudolf Bultman


  Jesus had no ethics apart from 'Love thy neighbour'
• Bishop John Robinson

  'Persons are more important than standards'
• Common Misconceptions

  SE is not to be interpreted as a solution

  • Fletcher didn't think ethics worked that way because the modern world is so uncertain
  • Instead, we must be made aware of key principles when making moral decisions
  • This contrasts most ethical theories which show their arguments as the solution to ethical questions and dilemmas.
• The six fundamental agape principles (two examples)

  Love and Justice are the same, for love is justice distributed

  • With justice comes love. Any injustice is an example of a lack of love, eg. starving children. If love was shared there would be no injustice.

  Only one thing is intrinsically good; namely love: nothing else

  • Love is only always good. Actions aren't intrinsically good or bad, it depends on whether they promote a loving outcome or not.
• Biblical Inspo: Luke 15: Story of the prodigal son

  'My son... we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found'

  • Personalism, love wills the neighbour good.
  • Positivism, an all-embracing sort of love.
• Biblical Inspo: Matthew 5:17-48: Sermon on the mount

  'You have heard it said 'eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth', but i tell you... turn to them the other cheek.'

  • Love is the only norm. Follow the spirit of the law, not just the letter. Jesus came to fulfil the law and put it in its place.
• SE vs. Utility Similarities

  • Both consequentialist: Outcomes > means
  • Reject legalism/ absolutism: Circumstances > rules
  • Happiness and love are both hard to measure
  • Based on predictions, no guaranteed outcomes
  • Honourable intentions
  • Unselfish, Puts people first
• SE vs. Utility Differences

  • Greatest love vs. Greatest pleasure
  • Xian basis vs. Secular
  • Compassionate and loving intent vs. may ignore human rights for the 'greater good'.
• Weaknesses

  • Too subjective: What is love?
  • All based on the prediction of an outcome (consequentialist)
  • How can you predict said outcome (teleological)
  • No rules, doesn't provide simple answers
  • God would not have given the 10 commandments if we were not meant to follow them
  • We cannot know everything that is right
  • Humans are fallible (flawed) so cannot be trusted to make decisions.
• Strengths

  • Easy to understand, simple principle, great aim
  • Flexible, not bound by legalistic rules and ideals
  • Individual circumstance
  • Hugely compassionate and non-judgmental
  • Responded to the needs of the time by following the spirit of the law, not just the letter
  • Allows the individual to be morally responsible
• Philosophical Weaknesses

  'Situationism is fundamentally flawed due to its individualistic basis. Individualism should never be the basis for social morality.' Rev. John MacQuarrie

  'When one finds oneself in situations where whatever one does is going to hurt someone' D.Z. Phillips (People will always get hurt)
• William Barclay Criticisms: Ethics in a Permissive Society (1971)


  • Fletcher used extreme arguments and examples to justify SE, when in reality people rarely have to make those choices (Mrs Bergameir).
  • Laws protect society and aid in avoiding 'moral chaos'.
  • People like rules, they give clarity and consistency.
  • Humans cannot be relied on to apply agape love fairly.
• Barclay Evaluation

  • 'If we insist that in every situation every man must make his own decision, then first of all, we must make man morally and lovingly fit to make that decision; otherwise, we need the compulsion of the law to make him do it.'
  • Critic: SE works well on paper but is not 'morally fit', so we need the law to make them morally fit.
• Situation ethics

  A theory that certain rules may need to be overridden in the name of AGAPE (love) and actions should promote the most loving outcome
• KARUNA

  Compassion in Buddhism
• Actions in Buddhism

  Should be motivated by compassion from the outset
• AGAPE

  Love in Situation Ethics
• AGAPE and KARUNA


  • Should be universal and non-judgmental
• Situation Ethics was established

  1960's
• Tiratna school (FWBO) was set up in the 1960's by Sangrashkita to form a western type of Buddhism that focused on (in his opinion) the core values of Buddhism which where the refuges, compassion and friendship