A CRITICAL EXPOSITION OF JOSEPH FLETCHER'S SITUATION ETHICS

Abstract vii The aim of this paper is to critically examine Joseph Fletcher's situation ethics. Fletcher's ethics is a -rsponse to universalist or absolute approach to the question of morality. ome of the questions this paper shall be preoccupied with are, what is situation ethics? What are the fundamental principles of situation ethics? What are the types of moral decision making? How can we apply situation ethics to contemporary issues such as the morality of abortion, euthanasia, surrogacy, and terrorism among others? The relevance of this study is that it shows that some actions are not right or wrong in themselves, but situations determine their rightness or wrongness of actions. In other words, it treats moral actions differently and uniquely. Consequently, Fletcher's situation ethics is teleological and gives preference to consequences as a determinant factor of moral decision making. Also, this paper also attempts some criticisms to Fletcher's idea of situation ethics.