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Flashcards in Ethics - Situation Ethics Deck (20)
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1
Q

Agapeic calculus

A

Love can be measured by its intensity , duration , likelihood of giving rise to further pleasure and so on.
Parallel to Jeremy Bentham’s pleasure calculus

2
Q

Absolute

A

Actions are right/wrong regardless of the context or the situation

3
Q

Antinomianism

A

(Against law ) The belief that there should be no laws or principles governing human behaviour

4
Q

Autonomy

A

(Self law) The principle of self-determination , that people should be able to decide for themselves what is in their best interests

5
Q

Conative

A

Brought about by the human will

6
Q

Cryogenics

A

The science of freezing bodies shortly before death in hope that future technology will discover the means to reanimate the body and cure it of whatever was responsible for its death

7
Q

Divine Command Theory

A

An ethical theory held by many Protestants, that morality consists in following God’s absolute commands , as laid down in Scripture

8
Q

Humanism

A

A system of thought in which reliance is placed on human intelligence and will , rather than on supernatural guidance

9
Q

Intrinsic good

A

Something that is ethically good in and of itself

10
Q

Norms

A

Ethical standards of proper/ acceptable behaviour, so normative ethics = laying down standards of moral behaviour

11
Q

Normative ethics

A

Rules or theory by which we make ethical judgements : laying down rules of acceptable behaviour

12
Q

Personalism

A

In Fletcher’s system , a presupposition that morality is about persons , not rules

13
Q

Positivism

A

In Fletcher’s system, the presupposition that ethical norms are held by faith : that is , that agape is the only intrinsically good thing

14
Q

Predicate

A

Love is a predicate in Fletcher’s system, meaning that is describes action in a situation and is not a thing in itself. Love is not a thing or a property, it is a formal principle expressing what kinds of real actions Christians are to call ‘good’

15
Q

Pragmatism

A

In Fletcher’s system , pragmatism is the presupposition that we should do what is pragmatic , that is , what works in the situation

16
Q

Relativism

A

In Fletcher’s system, the idea that morality is relative to the situation , so we should avoid worlds like “always” “never” . Jesus ‘ agapeic love relativizes the absolute, it does not absolutise the relative

17
Q

Strengths of Fletcher’s situation ethics

A

1) Agape based on Jesus
2) Fletcher’s presuppositions seems to be good ones
3) Promote individual autonomy
4) Can be adapted to science
5) Focuses on helping people
6) Promotes social justice

18
Q

Weaknesses of situation ethics

A

1) The amount of responsibility on the individual
2) Sidelines Church tradition and biblical authors
3) There may be no consensus on what the most loving action may be.

19
Q

First guideline quote for situation ethics

A

“The written code kills, but the Spirit gives life …“(2 Corinthians 3:6)

20
Q

Second guideline quote for situation ethics

A

“For the whole law is fulfilled in one word ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself “ (Galatians 5:14)