How useful is Joseph Fletcher’s “Situation Ethics” as a guide to human behaviour? Essay

Rudolf Bultmann claimed that Jesus Christ had no ethics except for â€Å"Love thy neighbour as thyself†. This is what the Anglican Joseph Fletcher based his theory of Situation Ethics on. Fletcher opposed the idea of Legalistic and Antinomian Ethics. Legalistic ethics is where there are absolute rules to what should and should not be done. Fletcher said that Legalism couldn’t accommodate the â€Å"exceptions to the rule† and that rejecting a particular aspect of the law than you surely must reject it all. For example the law â€Å"Do not kill† may require more laws to allow killing in self defence, killing in war, killing unborn babies etc. and doing this contradicts the law in the first place. Antinomian Ethics means â€Å"against law† and people using this approach do not live by an ethical system at all. Fletcher is against this not only because it is unprincipled but also on the basis of existentialist ethics, which argues that reality is composed of singular event and moments in time and Antinomian ethics follows no predictable direction from one situation to another. Situation ethics is based purely on agape love for all. That every ethical decision we make should be made on the premise that â€Å"the end justifies the means†, and that the most loving action with a pure motive is the best one. He claims that Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount should be our moral code rather than the Old Testament’s Ten Commandments. Jesus’ ethics of â€Å"love thy neighbour as thyself† can be related to every ethical dilemma, whether modern or old. â€Å"Jesus said nothing about birth control, large or small families, childlessness, homosexuality, masturbation, fornication, premarital intercourse, sterilisation, artificial insemination, abortion, sex, foreplay, petting and courtship. Whether any form of sex (Hetero, Homo or Auto) is good or evil depends on whether love is fully served.† (Fletcher quoted by Jenkins) Fletcher pointed out that even Jesus broke Jewish law if love was better served by doing so. â€Å"Christ Jesus †¦ abolished the law with its commandments and legal claims.† Ephesians 2:13-15 Christians of all denominations can use Fletcher’s theory, which is an advantage as religious disputes and anger between the Protestants and Catholics is such a divide in the Christian religion. Situation ethics could help break down the barriers and unite a faith once again, as situation ethics main principle is love. Fletcher developed six fundamental principles. These are: 1) No actions are intrinsically right or wrong. Nothing is good in and of itself except for love. Actions are good if they help people and bad if they don’t. One cannot expect to live responsibly with moral absolutes. 2) Good actions should not be done for reward (E.g. experiencing a good feeling or seeking altruistic deeds in return) but should be done for their own sake. Jesus and Paul taught love as the highest principle above the Law. 3) Justice is love at work in the community. 4) Love is practical and not selective. We should show love to all, even our enemies. Christian love is unconditional. 5) Love is the end – never a means to something else. 6) Humans have the responsibility of freedom. They are not bound by any Law. With this comes the responsibility to ‘do the most loving thing’ in every situation. â€Å"Fletcher claims that it is a mistake to generalise. You can’t say ‘Is it ever right to lie to your family?’ The answer must be, ‘I don’t know, give me an example.’ A concrete situation is needed, not a generalisation. ‘It all depends’ may well be the watchword of the Situationist.† (Vardy & Grosch p.130) There are many benefits to Situation Ethics. The Bible does not cover many modern topics such as abortion, artificial insemination etc and situation Ethics allows us to work out which is the most loving action with the most loving end. It is also true to the Gospel representation of Jesus and what rules he lived by rather than living by the Old Testament or Jewish laws such as the Ten Commandments, which Jesus came to amend. Situation ethics is flexible, practical and allows for certain actions if the motive is pure and loving for others. It allows the evaluation of actions to choose the least wrong out of two wrong actions, which a legalist cannot do. There are however many criticisms which mostly come down to the problem of knowing what the most loving action is. As we cannot predict actions of other or even actions of our own, it is difficult to know whether the most loving end will actually come or whether an unseen factor may emerge and change the outcome. Selfish people also may twist situation ethics to suit themselves. Agape love is only an ideal to follow as closely as possible not to live by, as it is difficult to see things from an objective point of view. How can we be sure that an action comes out of Agape? Who is to decide whether an action is pure by motive? Can God only decide this at Judgement Day? Another very important criticism is that it can be argued that Hitler was killing Jews out of love for the Arian race and the future of the world. Does Situation ethics allow for such actions that have been dubbed â€Å"Wrong, and that’s that.† such as the Holocaust, September the Eleventh and the Bali bombing? Although the arguments for situation ethics are very convincing and useful for everyday life, the criticisms cannot be ignored, as they are very plausible and important for world issues and topics. A way that considers both Situation ethics and legalism and is somewhere in between is Proportionalism. Proportionalists believe moral rules can only be overridden if there is a proportionate reason in a particular situation. This includes both Natural law (killing, stealing, lying, cheating) and the Situational ethics view. Proportionalists believe that these laws should be adhered to unless there are good reasons not to. This allows for flexibility and a certain amount of relativism whilst still using the fundamental aspects of the Bible. An evil like pain, death or mutilation is, in itself, pre-moral or non-moral, and should never be described as ‘moral’. It is the act as a whole, which is right or wrong, and it is the person, or the person in his or her acting, who is morally good or morally bad. (Bernard Hoose quoted by Vardy & Grosch) I conclude that Fletcher’s situation ethics is highly useful for Christians in everyday life for all the reasons above. However I do believe that there has to be a balance and in my opinion it seems that Proportionalism is the best and most moral route to follow. It contains principles of both Situation ethics and Legalism and seems to make the most sense.

Charity Concert Event for the Benefit of the HIV-positive patients Essay

The â€Å"Rock for a Cause† is a concert intended to help HIV-positive patients in the local hospital. The proceeds of the concert will all go to the local hospital to provide financial and medical   assistance to HIV-positive patients confined at the hospital. Through this commendable event, the company can help hundreds of people afflicted with this dreadful disease in alleviating their disposition.   This project was conceptualized a month ago because the company saw the need to boost its social responsibility. By venturing in this humbling project, the company can promote generosity within the work environment and awareness on the condition of HIV-positive in the hospital.   The company chose HIV-positive patients as the beneficiary of this charity concert because they are the usual victims of prejudice and negative social stigma. Through the company’s initiative,   HIV-positive patients can feel a sense of compassion from other people.   Works Accomplished Since the conceptualization of the project, the following were accomplished: Selection of the theme for the concert which will celebrate the musical hits of contemporary pop rock. Reservation of the venue for the concert which is at the the open area of the park. Processing of the legal permits and documents needed for the concert to materialize. Works in Progress The following are currently being accomplished: Drafting of line up of singers and bands who will perform at the concert. Production of promotional materials including leaflets and posters. Works to be Done The following are pending works to be accomplish: Coordination with the hospital for the proper relegation of the financial proceeds of the concert and meeting with the beneficiaries to inform them about the project. Generation of marketing campaign to promote the concert. Invitation of performers and sponsors for the concert.   So far, there were only few drawbacks experienced during the preparation phase of this project. The most common problem was the time constraint. Supposedly, 80% of the works have already been accomplished but due to limited time and human resources, many are still pending. Despite the impediments, the project is still worth pursuing because of its noble cause. To ensure that the project will run smoothly, additional staff and an extension of two weeks on the deadline are needed. Success lies in the hands of everyone who will participate in this project.

Microsoft India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Microsoft India - Essay Example Microsoft overhauled its entire marketing strategy in India to be able to gain favor with the Indian customers. It had to abandon its â€Å"one size fits all† principle that was the main strategy of the company and made it a force to be reckoned with in highly developed countries. They had to be more aware of the needs and the capacity of the customers in India and developed ways that will allow them to compete with its extremely cheaper competitors of open source programs and imitations. They had to create a renewed perception in the view of the customers that Microsoft is affordable. More than this, they were able to establish that the company works for them and is flexible to their needs instead of the other way around. Had Microsoft not bent to the market and waited (or demanded) for the status quo similar to that in the US, then its presence in India would be nothing more than superfluous and their market in the country will stagnate sale the few consumers willing to shed what is on their market value exorbitant amounts.They were able to address the issues by creating innovations that help out the people. The retail-base products that they sold by monthly increments was a genius way that was fit for the consumption attitude of the market and the availability of their resources. They have paved the way as a venue for social change especially for their projects that help out schools and small businesses while being able to gain profit and establishing the presence of Microsoft in the country.

Sustainability Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sustainability Marketing - Essay Example While economic pressures govern organisational strategies, their social responsibilities have also assumed increased significance. Widespread focus and attention on the issues of corporate social responsibilities and sustainable growth aspects have shaped new governance policies and practices. Such perspectives define the role organisations can play in creating responsible economic, environmental and social well-being of the communities they impact or serve. Several studies and observations made in this context have sparked debates on whether the marketing practices today are suited to an age characterised by environmental deterioration, scarcity of resources, expanding population and growing income disparities. Recent frameworks in this context are shaping innovative marketing practices that are founded on the principles of sustainability. A number of research studies have focused on explaining and exploring the concepts of sustainable marketing. This paper provides a deeper insight into the observations and conclusions provided by these studies and how it has contributed to the evolution of the concept of sustainable marketing practices. ... ion on Environment and Development’s report sustainable development is defined as the â€Å"development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs† (World Bank Group website, 2001). Sustainable development relates to the ability of the organisations to balance the social, economic and environmental objectives. While economic objectives refer to industrial growth, individual needs, community requirements, and services social objectives refer to community empowerment, social mobility, cultural preservation, and equality. These needs and objectives should balance the environmental needs that encompass biodiversity, natural resources, ecosystem, pollution free air and water (Vagasi, 2004). Sustainable marketing remains an ambiguous term considering the paucity of extensive research in this area. Chen et al. (2009) define sustainable marketing as â€Å"the establishment, maintenance and enhancement of c ustomer relationships in order that the objectives of the parties involved are met without compromising the ability of future generations to achieve their own objectives† (p88). The essence of this definition can be related to the principles of sustainable development that are being incorporated by organisations across all disciplines for improved social and ethical business practices. The whole concept of green marketing or sustainable marketing is based on the principle of respecting the environment and considering social benefits as a distinctive part of the goods or services being sold in the market (Kotler et al., 2010). The essence of sustainable marketing practices is visible in various stages of product development, modification of existing products, changes in the production process,

Understanding Learning through Behaviorism Essay

Understanding Learning through Behaviorism - Essay Example Watson and Thorndike. The last section focuses on the process of how an individual learns a new behavior while following the guidelines of behaviorism. The invention of behavioral psychology or behaviorism came into existence with the experiment conducted by Pavlov on his dog and in this experiment was regarded as classical conditioning. The title of the founding father of behaviorism can easily be awarded to John B. Watson who first came up with the concept of psychological behaviorism. Watson first described the term in an article that was published during the period of 1913 (Smith, 1986, p.61). He stated that those psychologists were not comfortable with the methods of introspection as well as analogy because both these methods were highly biased. He believed that the belief that an individual’s actions are a result of his/her unconscious mind is a superstitious way of studying behavior. After Watson, B.F. Skinner was one of those well-known behaviorists who further explored the field and distributed different ways of studying behaviorism into methodological and radical behaviorism. There are three essential components of behaviorism and these components should exist in order to help individuals and animals learn new behavior. These components include the stimulus (Ogden, 2011). The term stimulus refers to any external object or element in an environment which can cause an individual to act in a certain manner. The second component is the response which basically the actions that humans or animals carry out as a result of being in contact with a particular stimulus. The third components is reinforcement which is the consequence that an individual may experience and this consequence is provided by the reinforce to help strengthen a behavior. One of the most renowned experiments that were conducted in the field of behaviorism based learning was conducted by Ivan Pavlov and his experiment is well recognized as

Reading Responses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Reading Responses - Essay Example Due to this paranoia, the women become obsessed with the color yellow. In the end, she becomes so insane that she imagines that a woman is stalking her even though it was a mere shadow of the wall patterns. Thus, she continues to lock herself in the room to protect herself. At the end of the story, she acknowledges that she has to liberate this woman and begins to scrape of the war. She is finally liberated as her husband faints to see her compulsive obsession with the walls. Clearly, this was one of the most vital pieces towards establishing and propagating women. Not only does it point out the major flaw in society’s ideologies at that time era, it also describes the brutal compassion given to individuals that had a mental condition. Female critics often use this to suggest that individuals who are mentally challenged should be able to interact with society instead of being isolated. Without a doubt, I think that extremely vital. The feministic viewpoint completely rejects t he notion that the women should be limited to certain roles in this man-centric society. At the end of the plot, when the narrator scraps the wall off, it shows her struggle to not only liberate the women but herself also.

Beloved by Toni Morrison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Beloved by Toni Morrison - Essay Example It is then left up to them to put the pieces together. The use of the juxtaposition approach of the present and past fulfill that purpose of reinforcing the idea that the past continues to exist in the present. The fact that Morrison is putting the story in fragments, puts the story into one piece that is inseparable . He forces his reader to put the pieces back together. He puts them in a position where they are forced to think of the pieces. The readers are also further forced to think and consider the worth of each piece. When it comes to the style that has been used in the novel, Morrison’s artistry is considered to be nothing but breathe taking. Beloved is a novel that is very complex, and the plot is mainly told by use of flashbacks, which incorporates stories that retold in different perspectives. The novel has a loose structure that was intentionally assigned to it. The plot does not flow in a straight line. The plot meanders, with several flashbacks though forty year since the time when Sethe was born in the year 1835, till when the novel comes to an end in 1875. The plot of the novel revolves around 1873. With the arrival of Paul D in 124 Bluestone , a number of flashbacks come into play. The reason for this is the fact that Paul D and Sethe constantly tend to dwell on a number of issues about their lives. Although the setting of the novel is in 124 Bluestone, the flash backs take the reader to a number of locations, with the inclusion of Kentucky, where Hale, Sethe and Paul D were slaves on a plantation that was known as sweet home plantation. The story goes as far as to the Ohio river, which serves as a line of demarcation between states of slaves, the free states in addition to the place that Denver was born. The flash backs go as far as Delaware, where a weaver woman lived with Paul D for a number of years. Back to the clearing, where the preaching of Baby Suggs was done to the black people, to encourage them to develop a love for themselve s, and finally to the lands that were outside sweet home, which is where Paul D and Sixo were captured, and sadly where Sixo met his end and was burnt. The flashbacks are mainly a means of storytelling, which is also a means for the slaves to be able to cope with some of their repressed memories of the past. As the characters remember their stories, it gives the novel a different twist. At the end of the novel, all the pieces fit together. The structure of the novel is a compound of ever-changing perspectives. All the characters, with the inclusion of the dead ones and those that are half alive, have a section of the story in which they tell. At one instance, Paul D and Sethe share flashbacks that are eventually combined into one, (chapter two). There is also an instance in which the point of view transitions gently between four of the characters who are white. Their conversation is a revelation of how some people may view slaves as nothing other than tamed animals. The variance in the various perspectives creates a tapestry of interesting individuals, who are linked with the present and the past, into forming a community. Another perfect example is the instance in which Paul D and Sethe give their narration of the experience of the corn field. Another instance is made the four men on horses when to Sethe. The use of this mechanism dares to challenge the idea of the singularity, which presents history in an objective manner. Perhaps

Freedom and Determinism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Freedom and Determinism - Essay Example Through determinism concept, freedom is driven by several aspects in human live including mental status, past life experience, physical factors, theological matters, biological concerns and so on. However, criminals also try all evasion avenues possible to escape any convictions, possibly using their lawyers. With this understanding, the stand of the attorney general and the jury that Penry's behavior may be a scheme purposed to deception, as opposed to arguments on childhood abuse and diminished mental capacity may be worth. Penry's side felt that his behavior was as a result of mental disturbance, with the other side believing that the behavior was out of ignorance but not mental retardation. Penry's lawyers hold that moral responsibility depends on mental stability. They suggest that the case should be waved because could the accused be smart mentally, then the crime could not take place (Doob, 2006, 11). Several aspects of determinism can be used to explain the varied views and opinions of the two sides. Nomological or causal determinism can be used to necessitate and explain present and past events. The horrific treatment of Penry by his mother should have impacted on the way he behaved by the belief that the past can influence the present. This is backed by scientific determinism or deterministic dogma which provides that cause, effect and precise eventual combination engenders particular outcomes at given moments. Events that Penry underwent at young ages accumulated to influence his behavior. Horrific treatment of the accused by his mother tells us what character the mother was. Biological determinism argues that desire, belief and behavior of an individual can be mould by endowment of genetics (Doob, 2006, 13). As a result, Penry may have inherited bad habits from her mother. In defining a disease, genetics is treated as a vital element, meaning that ailments are linked to gene tics. In theological determinism, daily happens are determined by God. This takes place through a form of omniscience, knowing ones actions in advance and decreeing ones actions in advance. The controversy of this determinism is how free will can be deemed free when someone has already planned for it. Thus it can be argued that this is the way God programmed the life of Penry. The above concepts of determinism link it to excuses of behaving unethically. Hard determinism applies environmental and hereditary means in influencing morality. Therefore, people do not have to belief ethically if they don't believe in uncaused free will. Soft determinists say that causation isn't acted unpredictably neither should it be viewed as compulsory or else a constraint (Doob, 2006, 12). Based on the above facts about determinism, prosecution judges should be very careful in establishing whether the conduct of the accused was genuine. This is the starting point for fairness to both sides and legal system itself. In the same line of thought, the society requires justice from legal institutions. These institutions are primarily set up to safeguard the rights of individuals and the general society. As above stated, the jury should take time to determine what made the man behave this way. If it was intentional, then the man is a potential threat to the society, indicating

Application to motivational theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Application to motivational theories - Essay Example In addition, the model does not focus on agent feedback, dealing with others, and time pressure, which are also important job characteristics. Due to changes in organisations and the environment, application of motivation has moved away from psychology to engineering. Today, approaches to job design depend on different scientific disciplines including engineering and psychology. Mechanistic approaches are applied to job design in the areas of work simplification and time and motion study, which have their basis in industrial engineering. Money matters to some people more than others, and this has made it a motivator in current management. However, to other people, money does not matter so much; since factors such as the way employees are treated at their work places sometimes matter more than money. Despite these facts, money can act as a motivator to different kinds of employees, for example people in developed and underdeveloped nations for various reasons. According to Hackman and Oldham, experience of certain psychological states by individuals motivates them towards their jobs, and gives them job satisfaction. These psychological states include â€Å"experienced meaningfulness of work, experienced responsibilities for outcomes of the work, and knowledge of actual results of the work activities† (Grant, 2003, p. 110). The psychological states create a positive effect that boosts job motivation. However, the psychological states are only created when a job has skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and job feedback. Skill variety, task identity, and task significance promote employees experienced meaningfulness at work. A level of autonomy creates personal responsibility for the outcome of the work, and good job feedback increases knowledge of the actual results of work activities on the part of employees. The Job