Fletcher's Six Propositions of Situational Ethics
Joseph Fletcher's foundational principles of situation ethics: (1) Only love is intrinsically good; (2) decisions should be made pragmatically based on specific situations; (3) moral decision-making has only one norm—love; (4) decisions always involve specific circumstances and relationships; (5) moral decisions should be individualized and relative to context; (6) pragmatism, not rigid rules, guides moral choice. These propositions reject legalism (rigid rules) in favor of agape-centered decision-making.
Real World
A wartime spy lying to the Gestapo to protect hidden Jewish families illustrates Fletcher's sixth proposition: love decides situationally, and rigid truth-telling would be the less loving — and therefore immoral — act.
Exam Focus
Distinguish propositions (foundations) from working principles (methods); examiners penalise candidates who conflate the two sets.
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