‘Assess the view that the approach taken by Fletcher in Situation Ethics makes moral decision making entirely
individualistic and subjective’
Situation Ethics is a moral theory devised by Joseph Fletcher, and is based on one principle only, which is to
assess the most loving thing to do in a situation. Whilst there are certainly strengths to this ethical argument,
ultimately there are too many concepts posited by Fletcher that create the theory to become too abstract and
applicable in every moral situation, and therefore this essay will support the notion that Fletcher’s views make
moral judgements entirely individualistic and subjective. Moreover, this line of argument will also include the
criticisms of Pope Pius XII, William Barclay, Nina Rosenstand and Bernard Hoose.
One can argue that the concept of agape devised by Fletcher makes moral decision making entirely
individualistic and subjective. Agape love can be defined as unconditional, unwavering love, or as Fletcher
described it as “giving love non-reciprocal, neighbour regarding”. Therefore in situation ethics, the action itself
is deemed insignificant, as long as it brings about the most loving outcome. Fletcher gives the example of Mrs
Bergmeier, who deliberately becomes pregnant with a man, who was not her husband, in order to be released as
a prisoner from a war camp. Whilst the ten commandments would actively condemn this example, because it
teaches adultery is wrong, Fletcher’s situation ethics would take a different approach. Actions such as adultery
within this ethical theory have the potential to be justified, as although she may have committed adultery, she
did so to be reunited with her family, an undeniably loving thing to do. Such situations are where Fletcher’s
ethics inherit criticisms from figures such as Pope Pius XII. It was in 1952 where Pope Pius XII labelled
situation ethics as ‘an individualistic and subjective appeal to the concrete circumstances of actions to justify
decision in opposition to the natural law or God’s revealed will’. This therefore clearly institutes this feeling of
situation ethics being too individualistic, to the point where the Pope banned Fletcher’s ethics from being
discussed at Roman Catholic seminaries, further conveying how his views should not be associated with the
catholic branch of Christianity. Therefore, it is clear that Fletcher’s approach taken when devising situation
ethics, and centering the theory around the concept of agape love, makes moral decision making entirely
individualistic and subjective, and such a claim can be validated by Pope Pius XII.
Another way in which Fletcher’s situation ethics can be regarded as making moral decisions too individualistic
or subjective is by his four working principles. Fletcher’s four working principles were designed in order to help
people understand how situational ethics works, and why it is a good idea to use this moral principle when
making decisions. These include, pragmatism, relativism, positivism as well as personalism, and it is the second
and fourth of these principles, which account for making moral decisions entirely individualistic and subjective.
The second working principle, relativism, represents the view that love is the only thing that is relevant to all
situations, unlike laws which work for some circumstances but not all. In addition, the last principle,
personalism puts human beings and their concerns at the centre of morality unlike laws and rules. It is both of
these working principles that fit in line with the teleological nature of situation ethics, which in itself shows how
the moral theory is represented as being individualistic and subjective. This certainly has some strengths, unlike
an absolutist approach, it allows there to be leniency where it is clear the law wouldn’t work. On the other hand,
a weakness of this approach is that you cannot always predict the long term consequences of actions. Therefore,
whilst an action may have good intentions, it may still result in a bad outcome, thus stopping motivation to do
good. For example, a scholar who criticises Fletcher’s situation ethics by devising an example as opposition is
Nina Rosenstand. The scholar gives the example of a neighbour who decided to turn on the heating in his
friends’ house so it would be warm when he returned from holiday, and accidentally set fire to the house. Whilst
his intentions were driven by love, it failed to produce a loving outcome. Thus, it is through this example that
emphasises the weaknesses in some of Fletcher’s four working principles to the point where it affects his moral
decision making to be entirely individualistic and subjective.
To follow the four working principles, Fletcher’s six propositions also are a fundamental aspect to his moral
theory. However, again there are some propositions that highlight the individualistic and subjective nature to
Fletcher’s approach taken for moral decision making. The first proposition where this is evident is love is the
only norm. This is clearly centred around the concept of agape, and also argues that the commandments are not
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