Situation Ethics

Summary of the theory

Situation Ethics is an ethical theory based on the one, absolutist rule to always to do the most loving thing. It was developed by Fletcher to be based on agape love, meaning all-encompassing, sacrificial love for humanity, which is present in the New Testament and on the actions of Jesus. Each situation is judged individually and all of the theory is guidance, rather than a set of rules

What is agape

• unconditional and self-sacrificing love

• describes how we should feel towards other humans

• demonstrated in actions and teachings of Jesus

What are some examples of SE in the New Testament?

• ‘As I have loved you, so you must love one another’

• ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart’

• ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’

• ‘For God loved the world so much he gave his only Son’

What are the six propositions? (3)

Not legalistic, but provide guidance when making a moral decision

• ‘Only one thing is intrinsically good; namely love: nothing else at all’

• ‘Love and justice are the same, for justice is love distributed’

• ‘Love’s decisions are made situationally’

What are the four working principles?

1. Pragmatism - practical solution to a problem

2. Relativism - avoid words like ‘never’, ‘always’

3. Positivism - believing in a loving God

4. Personalism - people rather than principles should be at the forefront of our moral decision-making

Summarise the problem of/solution to the ethical problem of patriotic prostitution

Problem:

• seducing/sleeping with an enemy soldier to lure him into blackmail

• goes against morals of the seducer, but if it brings the war to an end, thousands of lives are saved

Solution:

• the most loving thing is in saving thousands of lives

  Issues: deception could be harmful (consent/rape)
  personalism: personal impact on the seducer?

What are two other ethical dilemmas?

• Sacrificial adultery

• Sacrificial suicide

What are the strengths of Situation Ethics?

• relativist - allows for consideration of personal circumstance

• adaptable - moves with the times

• quick/easy method of decision-making

• allows people autonomy - responsibility of choice

What are the weaknesses of Situation Ethics?

• difficult to apply - not always clear what the most loving thing is

• relativist - no clear universal instructions

• relativist - could be seen to justify any action

Pope Pius XII

• firmly opposed - claimed it undermines NL

• dangerously individualistic; leads to moral chaos, subjective interpretations of love

Paul Ramsey

• love without structure is meaningless

• insisted on need for rules to shape/guide moral decision-making; otherwise leads to moral relativism

William Temple

• Christian ethics must be rooted in agapeic love, not legalism

• supported idea that moral decisions depend on context

Bonhoeffer

• following Jesus means being sensitive to the needs of others in each situation

• Jesus’ life as a model for love-based, situational moral reasoning