Chapter 18: Feminist Ethics Flashcards
(7 cards)
What are the 4 Central Claims of Feminist Ethics?
1) Women are the moral equals of men
-Views that justify the subordination of women or downplay their view are mistaken.
2) The experience of women deserves our respect and are vital to a full and accurate understanding of morality.
3) Traditionally feminine traits are at least as important as traditionally masculine traits
4) Traditionally feminine ways of moral reasoning are often superior to traditionally masculine ways of moral reasoning
-Feminine: Cooperation, Flexibility, Openness
-Masculine: Competitiveness, Independence, Honor, Demanding Fairness
What is the Ethics of Care?
A loving mother’s care for her children should be the model for all moral behavior.
What is care?
An emotion, or a network of reinforcing emotions that involve some combination of sympathy, empathy, sensitivity, and love.
-Focus on the wants and needs of the one you are caring for
What is care central to?
Moral motivation and discovery
What 4 Things are Feminist Ethics Against?
1) Unification
-One supreme moral rule
2) Impartiality and Abstraction
-Be partial to the ones you love and have a sensitive appreciation of the detail and complexities of a situation.
3) Competition
-We should focus on cooperation, and understand each other’s perspectives
4)The Focus on Rights and Justice
-We should emphasize our responsibilities to one another instead of dividing ourselves over rights.
What are the 6 Challenges for Feminist Ethics?
1) Limited Scope of Moral Community
-No responsibility for strangers or those we dislike
2) The Role of Emotions Needs Further Exploration
3) Downgrading Impartiality
-Leads to Bias and Prejudice
4) Moral Conflicts
-No guide or standard
5) No Strategy for Dealing with the Uncooperative
6) Justice and Rights
-Rights can offer moral protection, so they are important.
What is Feminism?
Equal consideration, not equal treatment
