J. 플레쳐의 상황윤리연구

Abstract

Nowadays moral criterion has changed functionally. There can be no absolute, but a relative one upon which everything is based. And an individual is more affected by the social norm rather than personal particular life. Considering these situations this thesis attempts to justify Fletcher's Situation Ethics with its relation to the social change in the developing countries like Korea, and to understand as a new ethical method to accomplish clear debate and criticism. Contents of this thesis can be divided as follows. 1. The theological background of Situation Ethics. In this thesis the main concern lies in the ethical ideas of Karl Barth, Emil Brunner, Rudolph Bultmann, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Reinhold Miebuhr. They insist that we must put an importance on the concrete reality and situation in making moral decision. It does not demand to spell out the words in the Bible or follow fixed moral rules. But it tries ti put its main concern in the concrete historical, social realities, and the understanding of the given situation and thus in moral decision making. 2. Contents of Fletcher's Situation Ethics. Fletcher insists that if there is an absolute principle or commandment, that shall be, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Since a historical reality has the nature of an eternal cycle, we can not prescribe action as absolute norm which regulates human act. Therefore it is important to keep in mind that principles or commandments exist for man nor man for principles or commandments. It is necessary to consider and follow the best way of loving act of the related person in his concrete sitnations. 3. Further this thesis has divided criticisms of theologists on Situation Ethics into three types, legalism, moral principle, and contextual approach. Legalists insist that man must obey God's will shown in the Bible so that he cannot be treated as an object relative in social situations. moral principle ethics slaims that an individual must not change its principles in leading his moral life, and follow the principles Though they agree in a way with Fletcher's claim on Situation Ethics, they have critical attitudes to the words or lacks which Fletcher insists. At last this thesis has come to the conclusion that though we acknowledge the validity of Fletcher's Situation Ethics in any situation in our life, although it is not sufficient in dealing with social orders, as his critics imply in their own ways. Finally, the writer has pointed out a validity of Fletcher's Situation Ethics in relation to legalistic tendencies of Korean Christianity and general moral views.