Teleological Ethics

Who came up with Situation Ethics and in what book?

Joseph Fletcher in ‘Situation Ethics: The New Morality’

What kind of theory is SE?

Relativist, consequentialist, teleological

What does the ‘Middle way’ refer to?

SE meets legalism and antinomianism in the middle

Why did Fletcher feel a middle way was necessary?

Christians in the 1960s were frustrated that the Bible’s strict laws prevented them from exploring freedom and free love movement

What is legalism?

Accepts the absolute nature of established rules and principles

What is antinomianism?

Does not recognise authority, but promotes freedom from external rules

Why did Fletcher take issue with legalism?

• Too oppressive/restrictive

• People blindly followed it

• People obeyed rules even when it harmed them or others

Why did Fletcher take issue with antinomianism?

• It was arbitrary

• It was inconsistent/unprincipled

• It didn’t protect vulnerable in society

What does Fletcher say about the rules in the Bible?

They shouldn’t be abandoned completely but rather used as illuminators

What is the taxi driver anecdote?

Taxi driver says he has always been a Republican. The man he is driving assumes he will therefore vote for the Republican candidate, but the taxi driver says “There are times when a man has to push his principles aside and do the right thing.”

Give a quote by Fletcher about the damage of Christian legalism

“To this day Christians think an adulterer more wicked than a politician who takes bribes, although the latter probably does a thousand times more harm.”

What does Fletcher say about the conscience?

The conscience is not a noun or thing that exists, but rather the process by which we respond to ethical issues

How does SE apply in the case of Mary Magdalene?

Jesus prioritised showing her mercy and agape over following the legalist rule “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

What is agape?

God’s fatherly love, unconditional and selfless

What is the boss principle of SE?

So long as an action creates the most selflessly loving consequences, it is the right thing to do

What the four working principles?

• Pragmatism

• Positivism

• Personalise

• Relativism

What is pragmatism?

Breaking pre-conceived rules can only be justified if the loving consequences are realistically going to occur

What is positivism?

There should be voluntary acceptance of agape and this should be the basis of faith

What is personalism?

SE is a concern for people rather than things and it involves the subject rather than the object

What is relativism?

The loving thing in one situation is entirely independent and doesn’t apply to all other situations

What are the six fundamental principles?

• Love is the only good

• Love is the ruling norm of Christianity

• Love = justice

• Love for all

• Loving ends justify means

• Love decides situationally

What does mitzvot mean?

The 613 commandments in the Old Testament

Give 3 strengths of SE

• Supports human nature - love is the most important emotion

• Jesus said love was the greatest commandment

• Promotes social justice - selfless love

Give 3 weaknesses of SE

• Requires us to be able to predict the consequences of an action

• Based on a dangerous emotion - could justify evil with love

• Ignores Bible’s legalist nature and rules - strays too far

Give a quote from Harry Harlow about the importance of love

“The need for love is overwhelming.”

Give a quote by Pope Benedict about SE

“Dictatorship of relativism.”

Give a quote by Pope Pius XII about SE

“ Individualistic ethic designed to justify actions opposed by God.”

Apply Alan Turing to homosexuality and SE

• Created the machine that cracked the Enigma code in WW2 - saved thousands of lives and shortened the war by 4 years

• 1952: arrested and prosecuted for homosexuality

• Sentenced to medical treatment that would “cure” homosexuality

• Mental and physical effects led to his death two years later

• Ruled suicide, but may have been accidental poisoning

What would SE say about homosexuality?

It would promote the use of agape; homosexual love is still love and so these relationships should be treated indiscriminately

Why may SE disagree with polyamory?

It is arguably difficult to give love equally to more than one person at once, going against love = justice

Why might SE agree with polyamory?

Personalism - they all consent and desire that outcome therefore it is the most loving

Pragmatism - it doesn’t affect anyone outside the relationship and would ensure fulfilment for all