Is a "Feminine" Ethic Enough?

Abstract

One aspect of the feminine which has received much attention in recent nontraditional ethical theory (most notably in Nel Noddings' Caring) is the feminine practice of caring for others. The ability of the caring person to "receive" or "pay attention to" the reality of another in order to "feel with" that other is commonly presented as the most crucial ingredient to the caring relation. I argue that however imporant this caring attitude is to ethical relations, an ethics which focuses almost entirely on it is not enough to set us on the path to a moral society if applied within the oppressive social system of patriarchy. A feminist re-vision of this notion of caring is needed to ensure that the care women give to others does not contribute to sustaining patriarchal relations, and that women, too, receive care (from themselves, other women, and men). I offer a vision of such a feminist ethics of caring.