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Select relevant quotes, references and examples from the list and rewrite the idea with those additions included. Click on text to see a possible answer. Compare with your own answer and consider whether you feel the differences are significant.
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THE IDEA: The moral theory of proportionalism.
Proportionalism is an ethical theory based upon Natural Law and that has been debated over the last 50 years within Roman Catholic theological ethics. It originated with the German theologian Peter Knauer in 1965 who wrote an article, written in French, about the concerns he had with interpretations of the principle of double effect. This article was reviewed by Richard McCormick who was to become a leading figure and supporter of proportionalism. Proportionalists have been referred to as revisionists or, detrimentally, consequentialists. The theory suggests that ‘proportionate reason’ can determine concretely and objectively the rightness or wrongness of acts. Proportionalists make a distinction between what is ‘right’ and what is ‘good’. A good act is an act that follows the moral rules of Natural Law, and a right act is an act that is not necessarily a fully good act, but creates the lesser of two evils as a consequence of it. The ‘rightness’ of an act does not just depend upon moral rules but also upon intention, right reasoning and the amount of values and disvalues an act delivers in all foreseeable circumstances involved. In this way, the human act is seen as a structural unity, and a moral judgment can only be made in relation to all components of that unity, not just one or two.
It is not a method but a way of examining received moral norms according to a conflict model of reality. Every moral choice occurs in a context where competing values and disvalues must be weighed critically. (Richard McCormick)
Proportionalism is a method for (a) resolving conflicts of values, (b) determining objectively what is morally right or wrong about an action (as distinguished from judging the goodness or badness of the agent), and (c) grounding concrete behavioral norms and exceptions to them. (James Walter)
This revisionist movement began in the writings of Peter Knauer, S.J., as a way to move beyond double-effect thinking. (Jean Porter)
Proportionalism is neither a menace nor a method. (Jean Porter)
Its proponents are attempting to reform Roman Catholic moral theology from within the tradition, which in recent decades had focused almost exclusively on the act considered in itself. (Philip Foubert)
Proportionalists argue that an act needs to be considered carefully by considering all determining factors.
For example, it may be considered bad not to tell the truth, but it is not necessarily morally right to tell the truth about everything in all circumstances.
Knauer’s basic concern was that a moral act under the principle of double effect is reduced to components rather than considering it as a single act.
Although it is not always relevant to Roman Catholics in general, and is mainly studied in theological colleges, the theory of proportionalism is considered highly controversial by the Vatican.
Proportionalism is an ethical theory based upon Natural Law and that has been debated over the last 50 years within Roman Catholic theological ethics. Although it is not always relevant to Roman Catholics in general, and is mainly studied in theological colleges, the theory of proportionalism is considered highly controversial by the Vatican. However, Jean Porter states, it is ‘neither a menace nor a method.’ It originated with the German theologian Peter Knauer in 1965 who wrote an article, written in French, about the concerns he had with interpretations of the principle of double effect. As Jean Porter continues: ‘This revisionist movement began in the writings of Peter Knauer, S.J., as a way to move beyond double-effect thinking.’ Knauer’s basic concern was that a moral act under the principle of double effect is reduced to components rather than considering it as a single act. This article was reviewed by Richard McCormick who was to become a leading figure and supporter of proportionalism. McCormick explains, ‘Every moral choice occurs in a context where competing values and disvalues must be weighed critically’. Proportionalists have been referred to as revisionists or, detrimentally, consequentialists. The theory suggests that ‘proportionate reason’ can determine concretely and objectively the rightness or wrongness of acts. Proportionalists make a distinction between what is ‘right’ and what is ‘good’. For example, it may be considered bad not to tell the truth, but it is not necessarily morally right to tell the truth about everything in all circumstances. A good act is an act that follows the moral rules of Natural Law, and a right act is an act that is not necessarily a totally good act, but creates the lesser of two evils as a consequence of it. Philip Foubert confirms that ‘its proponents are attempting to reform Roman Catholic moral theology from within the tradition, which in recent decades had focused almost exclusively on the act considered in itself.’ The ‘rightness’ of an act does not just depend upon moral rules but also upon intention, right reasoning and the amount of values and disvalues an act delivers in all foreseeable circumstances involved. Proportionalists argue that an act needs to be considered carefully by considering all determining factors. In this way, the human act is seen as a structural unity, and a moral judgment can only be made in relation to all components of that unity, not just one or two. As James Walter summarises: ‘Proportionalism is a method for (a) resolving conflicts of values, (b) determining objectively what is morally right or wrong about an action (as distinguished from judging the goodness or badness of the agent), and (c) grounding concrete behavioral norms and exceptions to them.’