Care Ethics

Psychologist Carol Gilligan laid a foundational groundwork with her 1982 book 'In a Different Voice,' which critiqued male-centered moral development models. Philosopher Nel Noddings further developed care ethics as a formal ethical theory in her 1984 work 'Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education.'

Unlike utilitarianism, which judges actions by aggregate outcomes, and deontology, which applies universal rules, care ethics evaluates moral decisions based on the quality of relationships and the responsibilities that arise from them. It prioritizes empathy, attentiveness, and responsiveness to the needs of particular individuals over abstract principles.

Yes, care ethics emerged partly from feminist critiques of traditional moral philosophy, which Gilligan and others argued undervalued relational reasoning historically associated with women's moral experience. However, care ethicists do not claim the theory applies exclusively to women.

Care ethics is particularly influential in nursing and social work, where it reinforces the idea that professional obligations extend beyond technical competence to include attentiveness to patients' emotional and relational needs. It underpins models of patient-centered care and informs ethical guidelines in caregiving professions.