Edexcel A-level Religious Studies (9RS0) · Religion and Ethics: Three Ethical Theories
Mini-Lesson
Three Ethical Theories
This lesson studies three influential theories in depth: natural law (Aquinas), situation ethics (Fletcher) and virtue ethics (Aristotle).
Notice how each locates rightness differently — in rational precepts, in loving outcomes, or in character. Answer the questions and collect ⭐.
Natural law
Aquinas: natural law
Thomas Aquinas held that reason can discern God’s purposes in nature. The synderesis rule is to "do good and avoid evil." He distinguished four types of law (eternal, divine, natural, human).
The five primary precepts are: Preservation of life, Ordering of society, Worship of God, Education, Reproduction (POWER). From these, reason derives secondary precepts. He also taught real vs apparent goods and the doctrine of double effect.
Check
Primary precepts
1Which is one of Aquinas’s five primary precepts?
Situation ethics
Fletcher: situation ethics
Joseph Fletcher (Situation Ethics, 1966) makes agape (selfless love) the only absolute; every rule can be broken if love demands it.
Four working principles: pragmatism, relativism, positivism, personalism.
Six fundamental propositions, e.g. love is the only intrinsic good, and love and justice are the same thing.
It is teleological — the loving outcome decides the act.
Check
Agape
2In situation ethics, the one thing that is intrinsically good is:
Virtue ethics
Aristotle: virtue ethics
Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics) asks not "what should I do?" but "what kind of person should I be?" The goal is eudaimonia (flourishing).
Virtue is a mean between two vices — e.g. courage lies between cowardice and rashness.
Moral virtues come by habituation; intellectual virtues by teaching.
Phronesis (practical wisdom) guides us to the right mean in each case.
Check
The golden mean
3For Aristotle, the virtue of courage is a mean between:
Contrast
Comparing the theories
Natural law: clear, universal precepts, but critics say it rests on a fixed human "purpose" and can seem inflexible.
Situation ethics: flexible and compassionate, but critics say "do the loving thing" is vague and open to abuse.
Virtue ethics: realistic about moral growth, but gives less guidance on specific dilemmas.
Check
Which theory?
4Which theory judges an action mainly by whether it produces the most loving outcome?
Sort it
Whose theory is it?
Sort each feature into the theory it belongs to.
⚖️ Natural law
❤️ Situation ethics
🌟 Virtue ethics
Match
Theory to thinker
Match each theory to its key figure or idea.
Statement
Answer
Recap
The big ideas to know
Natural law: Aquinas: synderesis, five primary precepts (POWER), double effect
Situation ethics: Fletcher: agape, four working principles, six propositions
Virtue ethics: Aristotle: eudaimonia, the mean, habituation, phronesis
Evaluation: Universal vs flexible vs character-focused — each with strengths and gaps
In essays, apply all three to the same dilemma to show you understand them. Press Finish.
🏆
Mini-lesson complete!
⭐⭐⭐
You've worked through Three Ethical Theories. 🎉
Your stars: 0 / 0
Next: test yourself in the Evaluate stage, then lock it in with Verify.
📣 Smashed it? Share your score
Challenge a mate to beat your stars, or show a parent how you got on.