Discussion Board Philosophy
papi2lit
DOETH5_LECTURE_PPT_CH08.pptxChapter 8
Feminist Ethics and the Ethics of Care
Copyright © 2019 W. W. Norton & Company
Feminist Ethics – 1
An alternative way of looking at the concepts and concerns of the moral life
An approach focused on women’s interests and experiences and devoted to promoting the moral equality of men and women
A response to theories of ethics that have emphasized those characteristics believed to be distinctive to men and ignored or rejected ways of thinking and feeling believed to be distinctive of women
Discussion Question: How do you think the possession or lack of power might affect one’s theory of ethics?
‹#›
Feminist Ethics – 2
An approach that takes into account moral issues that are more likely to arise from the experiences of women
Traditional moral philosophy’s devaluation of the domestic realm made it impossible to raise questions about the domestic division of labor or domestic abuse.
‹#›
General Traits of Feminist Ethics – 1
An emphasis on personal relationships
Traditional moral theories have been mostly concerned with “public life,” the realm in which unrelated individuals try to figure out how to behave toward one another.
Feminist ethics narrows down the area of moral concern to the interconnected and familiar small group—to the people with whom we have close personal relationships.
Discussion Questions: How much should our ethics be influenced by the recognition that we all have personal relationships that are messy, filled with emotion, and partial? Would we be more moral if we rejected all personal relationships?
‹#›
General Traits of Feminist Ethics – 2
Differing views on moral principles
Some feminist philosophers resist the temptation to map out moral actions according to moral principles.
They argue that such principles are too general to be useful in the complicated arena of the domestic, social, and personal.
Discussion Question: How does feminist ethics’ regard for moral principles compare with Kant’s view?
‹#›
General Traits of Feminist Ethics – 3
Contrasting attitudes toward impartiality
Impartiality says that from the moral point of view, all persons are considered equal and should be treated accordingly; but in the domestic sphere, we are anything but impartial.
Some feminists make our moral duties to the people we care about central to their moral outlook.
Discussion Question: Do you believe there are situations in which impartiality is important in moral reasoning? If not, why not?
‹#›
General Traits of Feminist Ethics – 4
A higher regard for emotions
Feminist philosophers have greater respect for the emotional side of our lives than many non-feminist ethicists do.
Discussion Question: What part do you think emotions should play in morality?
‹#›
General Traits of Feminist Ethics – 5
An emphasis on the nonideal
Feminist ethicists take issue with the tendency of traditional moral theories to assume an idealized view of human beings.
Many feminist ethicists acknowledge that real life is messy and involves humans who are often irrational, and they appreciate the value of these nonideal aspects to life.
‹#›
The Ethics of Care – 1
Emphasizes close personal relationships and moral virtues such as compassion, faithfulness, kindness, love, and sympathy
Contrasts with traditional moral theories preoccupied with principles and legalistic reasoning
Discussion question: Can one emphasize love and sympathy and still hold to utilitarianism? Kant’s duty ethics? Virtue ethics? Why or why not?
‹#›
The Ethics of Care – 2
Originates from the contrast between:
Traditionally male “ethic of justice”
Traditionally female “ethic of care”
The argument is that both justice and care, which are not inherently linked to gender, are needed.
Discussion question: How do you think justice and care relate to each other? Can you think of a situation in which they complement each other? What about one in which they conflict?
‹#›
The Ethics of Care – 3
An ethic of care concerns itself with the experiences of being dependent and the morality of relating to dependents.
A morality built on the image of the independent, autonomous, rational individual often overlooks the extensive human experience of dependence.
Discussion Questions: Does an ethic of justice suffice when talking of a parent caring for a child? Does an ethic of care suffice when talking of two independent strangers interacting in a business transaction? Which situation is most important to who we are as humans?
‹#›
Credits
This concludes the PowerPoint slide set for Chapter 8
Doing Ethics: Moral Reasoning and Contemporary Issues
Fifth Edition (2019) by Lewis Vaughn.
Copyright © 2019 W. W. Norton & Company
