situation ethics question

• Do situation ethics provide a helpful method of moral decision making?

  • Christian ethics has been dominated by rule based ethics
  • Provide simple answers
  • Humans need guidance when rules do not fit - a guide to the frame of mind
  • negatives - unrealistic for everyday decisions, no easy answers, focused on the immediate situation, difficult to apply
  • positives - treat people with love, considers all other affected parties
• Ethical judgement and agape

  • serving agape love is the principal measures for goodness or badness
  • unconditional love > core of faith, serving Jesus Christ
  • good is different for different people
  • how we act in one situation has repercussions
  • undermines the second situation
  • reles broken to protect people
• Does fletchers agape mean nothing more than wanting the best for the person involved?

  • rooted in the New Testament
  • good morality approach
  • virtue of love could be defined by a good result
  • Bible gives alot of guidance on how to apply love
  • used one biblical idea against another religious foundation is selective
• Does the rejection of absolute rules by situation ethics make moral decision making entirely individualistic and subjective?

  • John Macquarrie - argued that situationism is too individualistic and cant be the basis of social morality as it doesn't consider social morality
  • doesn't consider the community
  • highly subjective
  • fail to consider the interests of others removal of law impacts justice
  • condemned by Christian moralists
  • offers more loving response