Talk:Ethics of care
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[edit] Moral core?
One thing I feel is missing from this article, is any mention of the concept of the "moral core", which covers one of the two major points of this theory, in this case the idea that those we hold special relations with (those well inside the moral core) should be valued higher than those we don't (those close to the boundary, or past it). If you consider the moral core concept as a scale rather than a yes/no question, then this aspect of the theory is fully covered in the "flaws of implementation" for other ethical theories. It is our shortcoming in failing to apply our ethics without a moral core concept that allows us to make the "us vs. them" distinction that allows such phenomena as racism, certain types of genocide (e.g. holocaust) and so forth.
That said, the (plausibly androcentric) view that women build families while men build societies has not been examined in connection with the claim that traditional ethics do not properly represent the feminine nature in this regard. To my understanding, presumably because I'm a male, this theory is somewhat demeaning to women, in that it posits a claim that women either lack the insight or the capacity to build a society wherein the adherence to the conventional societal ethics exists solely for the purpose of greater collective protection. After all, with a stronger expression of the moral core problem, harming others for short term profit becomes fairly acceptable, unless it severely jeopardizes the long term safety of those within one's own moral core. Kind of like corporate mentality. Of course, when living in a society built on conventional (androcentric?) ethics, there is a mechanism in place which changes the cost/benefit analysis, and this makes it a bit harder to invalidate this theory.
Anyway. Not trying to argue the merits of the theory, just trying to illustrate what I'm requesting more information in the article about: it's place, relative to other theories, implications, etc. Zuiram 16:46, 2 January 2007 (UTC)
