Who was jospeh fletcher?
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Joseph Fletcher, (1905-1991), was an American professor who founded the theory of situation ethics in the 1960's. Fletcher was a pioneer in bioethics and was involved in areas of abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and cloning, and he was a priest who later renounced his belief in God and became an atheist. Situation Ethics is the middle way between legalism (strict conformity to the letter of the law rather than its spirit) and antinomianism (the belief that there are no moral laws Gods expects Christians to obey), and it contains a theory that explains how in situations you need to follow moral decisions, and not follow rules that determine whether something is right or wrong. Fletcher exclaimed, 'Sometimes you've gotta put your principles to one side and do the right thing', as he believed that rules, or principles, are not the same thing as doing what is right. He also stated that, 'The morality of an action depends on the situation', and Fletcher emphasised how actions should demonstrate agape love (acting out of love for others, to serve their best interests).
Would Joseph FLETCHER use iVF?
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Joseph Fletcher believed that laboratory control is more human than conception by sexual intercourse. Laboratory reproduction is willed, chosen, purposed, and controlled, all qualities that distinguish humans from other creatures. In contrast, ordinary sexual intercourse leaves everything to chance, and therefore the playing of this genetic roulette serves neither humanity or morality. Fletcher thought that laboratory control of reproduction does not dehumanise man, but makes it certain that a positive result will be provided at the end of the action that took place. Therefore, in this situation, Joseph Fletcher would use IVF, because it is more likely to benefit other people as the successful birth rates of IVF are higher than the successful birth rates of a child that was conceived naturally.
Although Situation Ethics may be in favour of IVF as it is the most loving thing to do for an infertile couple, the first fundamental principle of situation ethics- that only love is intrinsically good- makes us consider whether a couple seeking IVF are really acting out of unconditional love for one another or whether they are being selfish. The second principle of Situation Ethics explains how Christians are required not to only love others, but to do so to the extent that they sacrifice part of themselves in doing so. This means that the couple would need to consider the consequence of using IVF, these being that there would be the destruction of spare embryos, and whether using IVF is in the best interests of the couple. The third principle states that love and justice are the same, meaning that the couple would need to take into to account how much unconditional love there would be, and taking into account the people that have the right to IVF. Of course, married couples are top of the list, but what about couples who divorce, or say, someone dies? Would homosexual couples be allowed IVF? If couples divorce, for example, and they use IVF, the medical resources could be used to treat other patients with a serious disease, that would benefit (to an extent) more people in the act of agape love. The fourth principle states that love has no favourite means, meaning that actions such as adoption may be more beneficial for the couple. The fifth principle states that only the end justifies the means, but does this ignore the cost involved, other people's feelings, and religious teachings and laws? Finally, the sixth principle states that love's decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively, which takes us back to agreeing that Situation Ethics allows a couple to have a child using IVF for loving and compassionate reasons, but the answer depends on the best interests of the couple involved.
Therefore, to conclude, Joseph Fletcher would agree to using IVF because he believed that laboratory control is more human that conception by sexual intercourse, and because due to the six principles, situation ethics agrees that a couple should use IVF to conceive a child if they have the best background and interests to demonstrate agape love to benefit others.
Although Situation Ethics may be in favour of IVF as it is the most loving thing to do for an infertile couple, the first fundamental principle of situation ethics- that only love is intrinsically good- makes us consider whether a couple seeking IVF are really acting out of unconditional love for one another or whether they are being selfish. The second principle of Situation Ethics explains how Christians are required not to only love others, but to do so to the extent that they sacrifice part of themselves in doing so. This means that the couple would need to consider the consequence of using IVF, these being that there would be the destruction of spare embryos, and whether using IVF is in the best interests of the couple. The third principle states that love and justice are the same, meaning that the couple would need to take into to account how much unconditional love there would be, and taking into account the people that have the right to IVF. Of course, married couples are top of the list, but what about couples who divorce, or say, someone dies? Would homosexual couples be allowed IVF? If couples divorce, for example, and they use IVF, the medical resources could be used to treat other patients with a serious disease, that would benefit (to an extent) more people in the act of agape love. The fourth principle states that love has no favourite means, meaning that actions such as adoption may be more beneficial for the couple. The fifth principle states that only the end justifies the means, but does this ignore the cost involved, other people's feelings, and religious teachings and laws? Finally, the sixth principle states that love's decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively, which takes us back to agreeing that Situation Ethics allows a couple to have a child using IVF for loving and compassionate reasons, but the answer depends on the best interests of the couple involved.
Therefore, to conclude, Joseph Fletcher would agree to using IVF because he believed that laboratory control is more human that conception by sexual intercourse, and because due to the six principles, situation ethics agrees that a couple should use IVF to conceive a child if they have the best background and interests to demonstrate agape love to benefit others.