Situation Ethics and its Relationship to Idolatry
In 1991, when Joseph F. Fletcher passed away at the ripe old age of 86 (ref 1) there were very few present to observe his passing. There are not many people who even recognize his name. This was a man who probably influenced modern society as much as Charles Darwin or Sigmund Freud.
Certain books and teachers can have a great impact on society. Charles Darwin wrote " The Origin of the Species" and started a whole religion. Yes, evolution is a religion, and requires more faith to believe in it than almost any other religion; with its belief of one species changing into another species and fish becoming land animals.
Sigmund Freud's writings continue to influence people even though most psychology philosophy discredits a lot of his ideas.
Joseph F. Fletcher was a teacher at an Episcopal seminary in the 1960's. While still teaching, he renounced his belief in God and declared himself a secular humanist. He neither resigned nor was asked to resign but continued to use his pulpit and classrooms to promote his idea system (ref 1). In 1966, he published a book called “Situation Ethics”. This book and the ideas Fletcher taught, has brought dramatic changes to the American culture.
His basic idea was this: In any given situation, a person should do what he called "the loving thing" rather than follow rigid rules derived from Divine revelation--or for that matter, any set of rigid rules, even those coming from simple reasoning. This idea is based on the worship of the person! That humankind, in its natural state, is "fundamentally, decent, enlightened, reasonable, and eager to do the right thing".
In his book “Situation Ethics”, ‘Fletcher captures the attention of the readers ab...
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... devastating impact on America and all Western Society and even on the whole world. It is a philosophy that absolves a person of any accountability of personal responsibility. It is also a philosophy that takes all meaning from life. If there are no standards to which we aspire, why try to climb the ladder to success? Personal achievement, character growth and morality are abandoned and the very fabric of society is torn. If God's laws are not important, how can laws created by humans mean anything.
It's a philosophy that, if carried to extremes, will mean the very death of our society.
Bibliography:
References:
1. Joseph Fletcher – Father of Situational Ethics http://moon.peperdine.edu/gsep/class/ethics/Fletcher
2. Fletcher, Joseph F. “Situation Ethics”
3. Biblical references are taken from the King James Version
http://www.scriptures.com/
Westen, D. (1998). The scientific legacy of Sigmund Freud: toward a psychodynamically informed psychological science. Psychological Bulletin, 124(3), 333.
Menninger, William C. "Freud, Sigmund". Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000. 9 Dec. 2000. Available: http://encarta.msn.com
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a psychologist and analyze how their theories impact society in general. Sigmund Freud, one of the most recognized names in psychology to date, had developed some eccentric theories that many scientists still accept as having some factual basis. His theories on hypnotherapy, psychosexual development, and defense mechanisms gives people the ability to control and predict their future behavior. These theories, being recognized as some of the most remarkable and influential, have transformed a generation of free thinkers and scientists. His ideas have paved the way to what is now universally known as the field of psychology.
However, secular humanism removes the concept of absolute truth and replaces it with relativism. This has the potential to create classrooms and societies that are governed by those who have the most power and not by the truth of Scripture which seeks to protect the poor and the weak (Moreland, 2007). The only way that good will triumph over evil is if the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection is able to hold in check the sinful nature of mankind. A classroom that removes God from the picture is a classroom that will ultimately produce a society that ignores the needs of the weak and caters to the needs of the powerful. The Bible enables students to understand who they are, who God is and the realities of the world they live in (Graham, 2003). In contrast, secular humanism allows people to deceive themselves into thinking that they can overcome their sinful nature and create a perfect world apart from God (Moreland,
Sigmund Freud, a physiologist, health physician, psychologist and husband of psychoanalysis, is ordinarily appreciated as one of the most influential and commanding thinkers of the twentieth century. Freud’s most meaningful and frequently reiterated allegation, that with psychoanalysis he had invented a novel science of the mind, however, this still remains the focus of much severe controversy and controversy.
...enies the safety of concrete manifestations of "Good" and "Evil"; and disturbingly, there is no emotional or rational basis for either the formation or for the arbitrary destruction of the family.
... still used today, along with his findings of the Oedipus complex. The world has changed in the last century in many different ways, yet Freud and his theories are still being referenced and used by our modern society.
Sigmund Freud was the founder of modern psychology. Freud’s theories of the mind and how the mind worked changed how psychoanalyst look at the mind and its actions. Freud’s universal theory of the mind will more than likely outlive the psychoanalytical therapy. Sigmund Freud is respectively compared to other notable men, such as Plato and Shakespeare. Some people believe his effect is more important to us than the lasting value of his theories. He was an Austrian neurologist who created a new approach to the knowledge of the human personality.
There is no doubt that today in modern society there is a big emphasis on human rights and the freedom of the conscience. Secularism can be viewed as good or bad. One thing is certain, and that is that many people fear secularism will take over. Instead of everyone being conservative they will have a secular view. It is much easier for society to understand secularism. Civilization wants to be free and they want the right to have their own beliefs. No one is going to agree with everyone and no one is going to have or follow the same God or beliefs. Unfortunately, religion will be what separates and divides us as individuals and as a nation.
To begin, one of the most famous and influential thinkers from the last century is known as Sigmund Freud and he is also the father of Psychoanalytic Theory. He has comes to believe that our behavior is influenced by our thoughts and motivation outside of our consciousness. All that we experience during our
Sigmund Freud created strong theories in science and medicine that are still studied today. Freud was a neurologist who proposed many distinctive theories in psychiatry, all based upon the method of psychoanalysis. Some of his key concepts include the ego/superego/id, free association, trauma/fantasy, dream interpretation, and jokes and the unconscious. “Freud remained a determinist throughout his life, believing that all vital phenomena, including psychological phenomena like thoughts, feelings and phantasies, are rigidly determined by the principle of cause and effect” (Storr, 1989, p. 2). Through the discussion of those central concepts, Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis becomes clear as to how he construed human character.
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Sigmund Freud is psychology’s most famous figure. He is also the most controversial and influential thinkers of the twentieth century. Freud’s work and theories helped to shape out views of childhood, memory, personality, sexuality, and therapy. Time Magazine referred to him as one of the most important thinkers of the last century. While his theories have been the subject of debate and controversy, his impact on culture, psychology, and therapy is cannot be denied.
Sigmund Freud was one of the original pioneers in the field of Psychology. The work that he accomplished throughout his lifetime laid a foundation for many theorists after him. The theorists that worked in Psychology, after Freud, were able to form their own thoughts, ideas, and hypotheses about the human mind after learning from his work. Sigmund Freud’s major contribution in the field of Psychology was his theory about the human psyche; which he called the Id, the Ego, and the Super-Ego. This theory was based on the human personality and its formation. Many of Freud’s analysis strategies became common practice in the field of Psychology and are still used today. Sigmund Freud will always be one of the most influential figures in the
Sigmund Freud seems to be the most popular and notable deceased psychologist. Freud’s influence not only lingers in psychiatric and clinical psychology, but also in literary and film interpretation. Approximately 9 out of 10