FEMINISM AND CARE ETHICS_Brondial, Guiriba, Soralbo_Archi-2B (2).pdf

Presented by Group 1 - BS Architecture 2B
Feminism
Feminism
Feminism
Feminism
Care Ethics
Care Ethics
Care Ethics
Care Ethics
and
and
and
and

THEPRESENTERS
THEPRESENTERS
Ma. Elyzah
Charlize G.
Brondial
Kate
Andrea A.
Guiriba
Aaliyah
Nicole B.
Soralbo

“Who Cared for
You Today?”
“Who Cared for
You Today?”
Opening Activity:

Take a moment to think about your day so far.
Who took care of you today—or who did you care for?
This could be something small, like someone making you
coffee, checking on you, or even sending a kind message.
Write down one or two examples.
Who Cared for
You Today?
Who Cared for
You Today?

Explain feminism and care ethics
Address moral issues, particularly gender-based
moral issues, in the light of feminist care ethics
Apply the principles of ethics of care on selected
moral issues
OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVES

FEMINISM
FEMINISM
FEMINISM
FEMINISM
CARE
CARE
CARE
CARE
&
&
&
&

A commitment to ending the subordination/domination/oppression
of women
Feminism is a social, political, and philosophical movement and
framework that seeks to understand and challenge the systems of
inequality and oppression based on gender.
At its core, feminism advocates for equality of the sexes,
particularly in terms of rights, roles, and opportunities
WHAT IS FEMINISM?
WHAT IS FEMINISM?
WHAT IS FEMINISM?
WHAT IS FEMINISM?

Care refers to the emotional, relational, and practical acts of
attending to the needs and well-being of others.
In philosophy, especially in the ethics of care, “care” becomes a
foundation for moral reasoning.
Care ethics sees relationships, empathy, and attentiveness as
central to moral life
WHAT IS CARE?
WHAT IS CARE?
WHAT IS CARE?
WHAT IS CARE?

NELNODDINGS
NELNODDINGS
Nel Noddings was born on January 19, 1929, in
Irvington, New Jersey. She initially pursued
studies in mathematics and physical science,
earning her bachelor’s degree in mathematics
from Montclair State College.
She eventually earned a Ph.D. in education and
philosophy from Stanford University, where she
would later spend much of her academic career.
Nel Noddings is best known for her
development of the ethics of care, a
groundbreaking ethical theory that challenged
traditional, principle-based approaches to moral
philosophy.

THE ETHICS
OF
FEMINISM
AND CARE
THE ETHICS
OF
FEMINISM
AND CARE
THE ETHICS
OF
FEMINISM
AND CARE
THE ETHICS
OF
FEMINISM
AND CARE

THE ETHICS
OF
FEMINISM
THE ETHICS
OF
FEMINISM
THE ETHICS
OF
FEMINISM
THE ETHICS
OF
FEMINISM

Feminist ethics is a philosophical approach that critiques traditional ethical
theories (like Utilitarianism and Kantianism) for being male-centered and for
ignoring the lived experiences of women.
According to Rachels (2015, Chapter 11), feminist ethics challenges the idea
that moral reasoning should always be impartial and objective.
Feminists argue that in real life, we do care more for our family, friends, and
community than for strangers — and ethics should reflect that truth.
Example: A mother choosing to stay home to care for her sick child might be seen
as less “morally significant” in traditional ethics, but feminist ethics emphasizes
that such care is deeply moral and valuable.
THE ETHICS OF FEMINISM

Key Ideas in Feminist Ethics:
Ethics must include women’s experiences.
Emotions like empathy and compassion are morally important.
Moral problems are often connected to power, oppression, and
inequality.
Relationships and social context matter in ethical decision-making.

Key Principles in Feminist Ethics:
1. Intersectionality
Nel Noddings emphasized understanding individuals in the full context of their lives.
Intersectionality recognizes that a person’s identity is shaped by multiple, overlapping social
categories—such as gender, race, class, sexuality, and disability.
2. Relational Ethics
At the core of Noddings’ work is the idea that ethics is fundamentally relational. Rather than
seeing moral problems as abstract puzzles to be solved by applying universal rules, she believed
ethical behavior grows out of our relationships with others.
3. Critique of Androcentrism
Traditional ethical theories—like Kantian ethics or utilitarianism—often prioritize logic,
abstraction, and individualism.

Key Principles in Feminist Ethics:
4. Ethics of Care
Noddings is one of the primary developers of the ethics of care. She argued that caring is a basic human need and a central
part of ethical life.
5. Critique of Objectivity
In line with feminist critiques, Noddings questioned the ideal of detached moral objectivity. She believed that ethics should not
pretend to be “neutral” or “universal” because our moral judgments are shaped by our personal histories, emotions, and social
contexts.
6. Advocacy for Gender Equity
Although Noddings focused more on care than activism, her ethical philosophy naturally aligns with the pursuit of gender equity.
7. Voices and Experiences of Marginalized Groups
Feminist ethics, including Noddings’ approach, seeks to include voices that have been historically excluded from moral
philosophy—especially those of women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, and people with disabilities.

THE ETHICS
OF CARE
THE ETHICS
OF CARE
THE ETHICS
OF CARE
THE ETHICS
OF CARE

Care ethics (or the ethics of care) is a moral theory developed primarily by Carol
Gilligan and later expanded by Nel Noddings. It focuses on the importance of *caring
relationships, emotional bonds, and responsiveness to the needs of others.
Matthews (2020, Chapter 7) explains care ethics as a response to the overly rational
and individualistic views of traditional ethics. Matthews emphasizes that moral
responsibility grows out of real human connections.
It acknowledges dependency, vulnerability, and the reality that humans often need
each other to survive and flourish.
Example: A nurse who comforts and advocates for a terminally ill patient isn’t just doing
her job — she is engaging in a deeply ethical act of care, something traditional theories
might overlook if only focused on duties or consequences.
THE ETHICS OF CARE
THE ETHICS OF CARE
THE ETHICS OF CARE
THE ETHICS OF CARE

Key Ideas in Care Ethics:
Ethics is relational and context-based.
Caring for others is a central moral value.
Moral decisions should prioritize compassion, empathy, and response
to others’ needs.
It recognizes interdependence, especially in caregiving roles.
THE ETHICS OF CARE
THE ETHICS OF CARE
THE ETHICS OF CARE
THE ETHICS OF CARE

Key Principles in Care Ethics:
1. Ethics of Care
Nel Noddings is one of the key figures in the development of the ethics of care, a moral theory that
shifts the focus from rules and justice to relationships and human connection. For Noddings, ethics
begins with the natural caring we experience in personal relationships—like between a parent and
child—and extends outward.
2. Caring as a Virtue
Noddings elevates caring to the level of a moral virtue, much like honesty or courage in other ethical
systems. She believes that people should actively cultivate qualities such as empathy, compassion,
attentiveness, and responsiveness.
3. The Ethical Ideal
Her concept of the ethical ideal involves striving to become a caring person and to maintain caring
relationships throughout life. This ideal is not about obeying fixed moral laws, but about continuously
developing one’s capacity to care.
THE ETHICS OF CARE
THE ETHICS OF CARE
THE ETHICS OF CARE
THE ETHICS OF CARE

Key Principles in Care Ethics:
4. Caring as a Response
Caring, for Noddings, is not passive or theoretical—it’s an active response to another’s need. This is a key difference
from principle-based ethics. Moral action doesn’t come from detached reasoning, but from being present and
emotionally responsive.
5. Critique of Impartiality
Many traditional ethical theories (like utilitarianism or Kantian ethics) claim that ethical decisions should be impartial
—treating everyone equally, regardless of personal relationships. Noddings challenges this. She argues that real-life
caring is often partial—we care more deeply for our family, friends, or students, and that’s not a flaw—it’s human.
6. Educational Ethics
Noddings applied her ethics of care to education, believing that schools should be more than places for intellectual
growth—they should nurture moral and emotional development too. Teachers play a vital ethical role, and the
teacher-student relationship should be grounded in genuine care.
7. Feminist Perspective
Though Noddings didn’t define herself solely by feminist labels, her ethics of care is deeply aligned with feminist
ethics. It critiques the traditional, male-dominated models of ethics that favor logic, individualism, and justice over
empathy, community, and emotion.

FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE

FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
Care ethics emerged from feminist thinking. Feminist philosophers saw that mainstream ethics didn’t
account for the kind of moral work women do daily, especially in roles like mothering, nursing, or
teaching and so they developed care ethics as a way to represent these experiences ethically.
As Matthews (2020) emphasizes, care is not just about kindness — it’s about justice, social structures,
and responsibility.
As Rachels (2015) puts it, ethics should include partiality, we naturally prioritize those we love and
care for, and this should be part of our moral framework, not a flaw in it.

FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
Feminism and Care Ethics are approaches that are challenging the foundations of traditional moral
theories by asserting:
- That emotions, especially care, are not inferior to logic in moral reasoning.
- That real-life relationships (e.g., families, friendships, caregiving roles) are morally relevant and
shouldn’t be excluded from ethical discussions.
- That ethics should not pretend to be neutral, especially when it ignores the experiences of women,
the poor, or the marginalized.
- That ethics must reflect how people actually live, not just how philosophers imagine we “should” live.

FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
Feminist ethics provides the lens,
and Care ethics provides a method

FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
FEMINISM & CARE
Feminist ethics provides the lens,
and Care ethics provides a method
Who is caring?
Who is being cared for?
Is care valued in society?
And how can our ethics reflect the
emotional, relational, and
gendered reality of the world we
live in?

CAROLGILLIGAN
CAROLGILLIGAN
American feminist, ethicist, and psychologist,
best known for her work on ethical community
and ethical relationships.
Gilligan is a professor of Humanities and
Applied Psychology at New York University and
was a visiting professor at the Centre for
Gender Studies and Jesus College at the
University of Cambridge until 2009.
She is known for her book In a Different Voice
(1982), which criticized Lawrence Kohlberg's
stages of moral development.
She is considered the originator of the ethics of
care.

DO MEN AND
DO MEN AND
WOMEN THINK
WOMEN THINK
DIFFERENTLY?
DIFFERENTLY?

The psychological differences between men and women are
discussed in the context of how they approach moral reasoning,
which becomes a foundation for feminist ethics and the ethics of
care
There are observable differences in how men and women reason
about morality, but these are shaped more by social roles and
expectations than by biology.
Gilligan challenged this, arguing that women don’t lack moral
reasoning they simply reason differently. According to her research,
women emphasize care, responsibility, and relationships, while men
tend to emphasize justice, rights, and rules.

TWO STYLES
TWO STYLES
OF MORAL
OF MORAL
THINKING
THINKING

1. The "Justice Perspective" - Often associated with men
- Focuses on fairness, rights, and applying rules impartially
- Emphasizes individual autonomy and logical consistency
2. The "Care Perspective"- More often seen in women
- Focuses on responsiveness to others' needs, empathy, and
maintaining relationships
- Morality is seen as contextual and personal, not abstract
Rachels emphasizes that this difference is not about superiority but
about complementarity. Both styles are important and should be
included in ethical theory.

LEVEL 1: PRE-CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
LEVEL 1: PRE-CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
LEVEL 2: CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
LEVEL 2: CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
KOHLBERG’S 6 STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
KOHLBERG’S 6 STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
LEVEL 3: POST-CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
LEVEL 3: POST-CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
STAGE 1: OBEDIENCE & PUNISHMENT ORIENTATION
STAGE 2: INDIVIDUALISM & EXCHANGE OF FAVORS
STAGE 3: GOOD INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
STAGE 4: MAINTAINING THE SOCIAL ORDER
STAGE 5: SOCIAL CONTRACT & INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
STAGE 6: UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES
Obeying order and avoiding punishment
Acting to meet one’s own needs; Allowing others to do the same;
Making “fair deals” with others
Duty that goes with one’s social role; Virtue is “Keeping loyalty and
trust with partners”
The idea of doing one’s duty; Maintaining the welfare of the group
Upholding the basic rights, values, and legal arrangement
Full moral maturity: Ethical principle that should be followed by
everyone
Age 1-5
Age 5-10
Age 8-16
Age 16+
Adults
Adults

HEINZ’S DILEMMA
HEINZ’S DILEMMA
AMY
AMY
Heinz should steal the drug as human life is
more valuable than money. If the druggist only
makes $1000, he is still going to live, but if
Heinz doesn’t steal the drug, his wife is going to
die.
Jake thinks like typical male, seeing it as a
conflict life or property solved by logic.
JAKE
JAKE Heinz should not steal the drug because if he did, he
might have to go to jail, and then his wife might get
sicker again, and he himself couldn’t get more of the
drug, so she will just face more problems. Therefore,
they (Heinz and the druggist) should really just talk it
out and find some other way to make the money.
Amy responds in a typically female fashion to personal
aspects of situation.
Women don’t like to abstract away from
detail of situation.
Moral orientation is caring for others in a
personal way, not general concern for all
humanity.
Sensitivity to the needs of others
Include the points of view of the other in
one’s deliberation
Male way of thinking abstracts away
from details that give each situation its
special flavor.
Men’s moral theories: impersonal duty,
contracts, harmonization of competing
interests, and calculation of costs and
benefits.

KOHLBERG VS. GILLIGAN
KOHLBERG VS. GILLIGAN
Gilligan challenges Kohlberg’s view that logical, rule-
based thinking (like Jake’s) is morally superior to
relationship-based thinking (like Amy’s).
She argues that:
Gilligan calls this a “different voice”—often associated
with women—that focuses on intimacy, care, and
personal connection, not just rules or logic.
What may appear as confusion or indecision in
women’s responses is actually moral strength—a
deep concern for relationships and the feelings of
others.
In terms of Kohlberg’s stages, Jake seems to have
advanced beyond Amy. Amy’s response is typical of people
operating at Stage 3, where personal relationships are
paramount—Heinz and the pharmacist must work things out
between them. Jake, on the other hand, appeals to
impersonal principles—“a human life is worth more than
money.” Jake seems to be operating at one of the later
stages.
Gilligan’s Feminist Critique of Kohlberg’s Theory:
Kohlberg’s Theory
Amy’s caring and personal approach reflects a
different but valid way of moral thinking.
Jake uses logic, seeing a simple rule (“life >
money”).
Amy considers relationships and consequences, like
jail, access to the drug, and how it affects everyone
involved.
Criticisms on Kohlberg’s Theory
Kohlberg’s method was more human-focused and cognitive,
aiming to understand how people think about moral issues
at different ages.
FLAWS! Kohlberg combined two different goals:
Just because older people think differently doesn’t mean
they think better.
Age doesn’t always equal wisdom.
We can’t assume that moral development naturally leads to
better thinking — it needs critical evaluation, not just age-
based ranking.
Describing how moral thinking changes with age.
1.
Judging which types of moral thinking are better.
2.

GILLIGAN’SPERSPECTIVE
GILLIGAN’SPERSPECTIVE
The “justice” view of morality is male-centered.
Women have traditionally been taught a different
kind of moral outlook that emphasizes solidarity,
community, and caring about one's special
relationships.
This "care view" of morality has been ignored or
trivialized because women were traditionally in
positions of limited power and influence.
Gilligan’s Feminist Critique of Kohlberg’s Theory:

GILLIGAN’S THEORY OF
MORAL DEVELOPMENT
MORAL DEVELOPMENT
MORAL DEVELOPMENT
MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Women’s Moral Development illustrated through a question: “Should they
continue their pregnancies or have abortions?”
The goal of her work was to demonstrate that women don't necessarily
stop developing morally before men do, but that their moral development
follows a different trajectory than that outlined in Kohlberg's theory.
Gilligan's theory used the same basic three-level outline as Kohlberg's, along
with two transitions between the levels.

LEVEL 2: GOODNESS AS SELF SACRIFICE
LEVEL 2: GOODNESS AS SELF SACRIFICE
LEVEL 3: THE MORALITY OF NONVIOLENCE
LEVEL 3: THE MORALITY OF NONVIOLENCE
M
E
GILLIGAN’S THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
LEVEL 1: INDIVIDUAL SURVIVAL ORIENTATION
LEVEL 1: INDIVIDUAL SURVIVAL ORIENTATION
TRANSITION 1: FROM SELFISHNESS TO RESPONSIBILITY
TRANSITION 1: FROM SELFISHNESS TO RESPONSIBILITY
TRANSITION 2: FROM GOODNESS TO TRUTH
TRANSITION 2: FROM GOODNESS TO TRUTH
YOU
more
than
M
E
M
YSELF
&
YO
U
YOU
to
PRE-CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
PRE-CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
POST-CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
POST-CONVENTIONAL MORALITY

Traditional ethical theories reflect men’s experiences in public life — where relationships
are formal, competitive, and involve negotiation and cost-benefit analysis.
These theories emphasize: Impersonal duty, Contracts, Balancing competing interests,
and Calculating outcomes
Feminist critique: Moral philosophy ignores the private world of care, love, and personal
relationships, where a different voice (as Gilligan points out) speaks.
Ethics of care values: Being a loving parent, Being a loyal friend or dependable coworker,
These are about who you are, not just what you do.
This highlights a major difference between:
IMPLICATIONS FOR ETHICAL THEORY
Virtue Ethics = focuses on good character (who you are: kind, honest, caring)
Duty Ethics = focuses on doing your job or duty, no matter what (what you do: following
moral rules or duties)
Many feminist thinkers believe Ethics of Care fits well with Virtue Ethics, because both
highlight who we are as moral people, especially in close relationships.

NELNODDINGS
NELNODDINGS
American feminist, educator, and philosopher
best known for her work in philosophy of
education, educational theory, and ethics of
care.
Noddings' first sole-authored book Caring: A
Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral
Education (1984) followed close on the 1982
publication of Carol Gilligan's ground-breaking
work in the ethics of care In a Different Voice.
Nel Noddings' approach to ethics of care has
been described as relational ethics because it
prioritizes concern for relationships.

Natural caring
Natural caring
Natural caring is when we care for
someone because we want to, out of love
or emotional connection.
Noddings disagrees with Kant, who argued that doing something from duty
(ethical caring) is morally superior to doing something out of inclination (natural
caring).
For Noddings, ethical caring builds on natural caring—our moral sense arises from
our emotional connections.
Noddings leans on David Hume’s idea: morality is rooted in feeling, not reason.
The impulse to care and be cared for is part of the human condition.
When this natural feeling arises, ethical action follows when we choose to commit
to that caring impulse.
Ethical caring
Ethical caring
&
&
Ethical caring happens when we feel we
ought to care, even if we don’t feel a
spontaneous emotional pull.

Natural caring
Natural caring
Even if we feel an impulse like “I must help,” we can:
If we reject this impulse without reflecting on how we might help, we are not truly
caring.
True caring involves commitment—a conscious decision to respond to another’s
need.
Ethical caring
Ethical caring
Accept it and act.
Reject it—by saying “Someone else should do it” or “I can’t do anything.”
Example: A Crying Infant
When a baby cries at night:
A caregiver might feel both: “I want to help” and “I must help.”
These two blend—natural desire and ethical impulse are the same.
This moment illustrates how morality can emerge from love, not just from duty.
&
&

Natural caring
Natural caring
Our capacity to care morally comes from our ability to relate to others.
The moral impulse is innate, and acting on it maintains our sense of connection
with others.
A desire to stay connected supports the development of ethical behavior.
Ethical caring
Ethical caring
Noddings’ Critique of Traditional Ethics
Noddings rejects the dualism between Emotion/body vs. Reason/ethics
She argues that mainstream (e.g., Kantian) ethics separates what is natural from
what is moral—and she sees this as a mistake.
For her, true ethics includes and even originates from our natural human
inclinations to care.
Noddings’ ethics of care sees morality not as a cold rational duty, but as
something deeply human, relational, and emotional. We are moral because
we care—and caring begins not with logic, but with love.
&
&

Person
Person Principle
Principle
or
or
The Caring Relationship: “One-caring” and “One cared-for”
In every moral interaction, we exist either as someone who cares or someone who is
cared-for.
This relationship is reciprocal, though not always equal in responsibility.
Noddings draws inspiration from Martin Buber’s “I-Thou” relationship, emphasizing
that the “Thou” (the other) is a subject, not an object to be analyzed or judged.
Rejection of Universal Principles
Noddings critiques impartial moral principles (like those in Kantian or utilitarian
ethics) for ignoring the uniqueness of individuals and situations.
Moral situations are not always similar enough for universals to apply effectively.
The ethics of care sees moral reasoning as context-sensitive, not abstract or
detached.

Person
Person Principle
Principle
or
or
Moral Decision-Making: Not About Judging, But Caring
The goal is not to apply rules mechanically but to heighten moral sensitivity—to truly
see and respond to the needs of the other person.
Example: Instead of saying “stealing is wrong,” ask: “Is it wrong to steal in this
situation?”
No rule is absolute—even rules have exceptions, and care ethics asks us to stay with
the complexity of each case.
Relational View of the Self
The ethics of care challenges the idea of the autonomous individual (common in
justice-based theories).
Instead, individuals are seen as fundamentally interconnected—we exist through
relationships.
Our identity is formed in the context of caring connections, making relationships
integral to the moral self.

Person
Person Principle
Principle
or
or
Noddings’ Take: Always the Person First
Noddings sides firmly with the “Person” rather than the “Principle.”
She believes ethics begins with caring for real, particular people, not with abstract
moral laws.
Acting for the sake of a principle (like justice or fairness) often requires us to step
back from the details of a situation.
But Noddings says those details—the person's story, context, and emotions—are
morally essential.
Why She Thinks Principles Can Fail
Moral principles like "treat everyone equally" or "never lie" can require us to ignore
what makes each person unique.
That’s why she critiques universalizability: in order to apply the same principle to
everyone, you have to treat them as the same, which often means ignoring their
individuality.
So if you're choosing between person or principle, Noddings says: Always see the
person first. The moral thing to do is to respond to them—not to apply a rule.

JUSTICEETHICS
JUSTICEETHICS CAREETHICS
CAREETHICS
VS
VS
CORE
FOCUS
CORE
FOCUS
Impartial duty, abstract rules, and
universal rights.
Personal relationships, care, and
empathy.
Viewed as an autonomous, rational,
and impartial decision-maker.
MORAL
AGENT
MORAL
AGENT
Considered as inherently relational
and interconnected.
Relies on logical, rule-based
reasoning and impartiality.
DECISION
MAKING
DECISION
MAKING
Values context, empathy, and
responsiveness, even if that
means partiality.
Prioritizes fairness and justice
through abstract principles.
ETHICAL
PRIORITY
ETHICAL
PRIORITY
Prioritizes care, love, and
attentiveness to relationships
over strict rules.
Focuses on negotiation,
balancing competing interests.
CONFLICT
RESOLUTION
CONFLICT
RESOLUTION
Aims for understanding and
accommodation of different
perspectives.

ETHICS OF PRINCIPLE
(JUSTICE)
ETHICS OF PRINCIPLE
(JUSTICE)
ETHICS OF PRINCIPLE
(JUSTICE)
ETHICS OF PRINCIPLE
(JUSTICE)
IMPLICATIONS FOR MORAL JUDGEMENT
ETHICS OF CARE
(CARING)
ETHICS OF CARE
(CARING)
FAMILY & FRIENDS
FAMILY & FRIENDS
CHILDREN WITH HIV
CHILDREN WITH HIV
ANIMALS
ANIMALS
ETHICS OF CARE
(CARING)
ETHICS OF CARE
(CARING)
ISSUES
ISSUES
Focuses on fairness and treating
everyone the same, even family.
Acts based on rules or duty,
which can feel cold or distant in
personal life.
ISSUES
ISSUES
Prioritizes people we have close
bonds with.
Caring is based on love, trust,
and personal relationships.
Confirms why we naturally treat
family/friends as special.
Says we have a strong duty to
help all in need, even strangers.
Based on fairness and the idea
that a life is a life, no matter
where.
Struggles to apply care when
there's no personal connection.
May unintentionally overlook
distant strangers, even if they
need help.
Looks at animals' rights or ability
to feel pain.
Applies the same logic to all
animals (equal treatment).
Emphasizes feelings and personal
connection (like with pets).
We care more for animals we
have a bond with.
Some critics (like Noddings) say
we have no duty to animals we
don’t connect with (e.g. cows).

ADVANTAGES
ADVANTAGES
It is a distinctly feminine ethic, long
ignored by male philosophers.
It has modern appeal, paralleling the
liberation of women.
It is more holistic, embracing men &
women as having unique differences.
It recognizes the importance of
feelings in making ethical decisions.
It recognizes the role of the will in
making ethical decisions, and not just
the role of the intellect.
ADVANTAGES
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
AND
AND
OF CARE ETHICS
OF CARE ETHICS

ADVANTAGES
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
It is a distinctly feminine ethic, long
ignored by male philosophers.
It is not comprehensive; it deals only with
those who are personally close to us.
It has modern appeal, paralleling the
liberation of women.
Care ethics is based on generalizations
about masculine ethics & feminine ethics.
It is more holistic, embracing men &
women as having unique differences. Care ethics is anthropocentric.
It recognizes the importance of
feelings in making ethical decisions.
Care ethics does not resolve certain moral
issues satisfactorily.
It recognizes the role of the will in
making ethical decisions, and not just
the role of the intellect.
Some argue that care ethics places too
much emphasis on feelings rather than
reason.

Real-life Applications
Instead of focusing solely on rights (e.g., the fetus’ right to life vs. the woman’s right to
choose), the ethics of care would ask:
What are the relationships involved (e.g., the pregnant person, potential child,
family, support system)?
What does the pregnant person need to live a life of dignity and flourishing?
What is the most compassionate, caring choice in this specific context?
ABORTION
1
1..ABORTION
1.
2. ELDER CARE
2. ELDER CARE
Rather than viewing elder care as a burden or cost, the ethics of care emphasizes:
The importance of maintaining human dignity and connection across generations.
The moral obligation to care for those who once cared for us.
Designing care systems and support that are responsive to emotional and
relational needs, not just physical health.

Instead of focusing purely on justice as retribution, the care ethic questions:
What emotional and relational harm does the death penalty cause?
Does it help repair broken relationships, or does it perpetuate violence and
detachment?
How can society respond to crime in ways that heal rather than alienate?
3. DEATH PENALTY
3. DEATH PENALTY
4. AI AUTOMATION IN THE WORKPLACE
4. AI AUTOMATION IN THE WORKPLACE
This lens looks at the impact on workers, families, and communities:
How does automation affect the emotional and financial well-being of displaced
workers?
What systems of support or retraining would reflect a caring response?
Decisions should consider the lived experiences of people affected, not just
efficiency or profit.

In conclusion, feminism and care ethics both challenge us to build a
more compassionate and just society. Feminism reminds us that
everyone deserves equal rights and opportunities, regardless of gender,
while care ethics highlights the moral importance of relationships,
empathy, and the often-overlooked work of caring for others. Together,
they teach us that fairness is not just about rules and rights, but also
about recognizing the value of care and ensuring that all people are
treated with dignity, respect, and understanding.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION

REFERENCES
REFERENCES
Aragbonfoh Abumere, F., Giles, D., Kao, Y. Y. S., Klenk, M., Kranak, J., MacKay, K., ... & Rezkalla, P.
(2019). Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics. Rebus Community.
Evangelista & Mabaquiao, Jr. (2020). Ethics: Theories and Applications.
Rachels, J., & Rachels, S. (2012). The elements of moral philosophy 7e. McGraw Hill.
Vinney, C. (2025). Gilligan’s Theory of Moral Development. Retrieved from
https://www.verywellmind.com/the-carol-gilligan-theory-and-a-woman-s-sense-of-self-
5198408
Mizzoni, J. (2024). Ethics—The Basics (Chapter 7: Care Ethics). Retrieved from
https://slideplayer.com/amp/5909979/
Pecorino, P. A. (2002). Chapter 2 :Ethical Traditions (Section: Feminist Ethics). Retrieved from
https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialSciences/ppecorino/MEDICAL_ETHICS_TEXT/Chapter_2_E
thical_Traditions/Feminist%20Ethics.htm

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