Understanding a Complex
Conceptual Distinction
Care Vs. Justice
In "Moral
Orientation and Moral Development" Carol Gilligan argues that previous
moral theorists (both philosophers and psychologists) have been wrong to assume
that there is one perspective that constitutes "the moral point of
view." Rather, there are at least
two moral perspectives or orientations people can have towards a situation, and
each perspective has something to contribute to our understanding of
morality. Much of her article, then, is
devoted to explaining and illustrating the difference between these two
perspectives. This project involves
answering a series of questions that bring out various elements of the contrast
she draws between the "justice perspective" and the "care
perspective." The questions are
listed in the order in which I found them answered in the article.
1. What counts for each perspective as a ground
for moral concern?
2. What sort of wrongdoing is each perspective
most sensitive to?
3. What does each perspective regard as the
fundamental moral injunction?
4. What does each perspective see as the
organizing dimension of human relationships?
5. What are each perspective's favorite
metaphors for human relationships?
6. How does each perspective conceive of the
self as a moral agent?
7. What does each perspective see as the basic
moral question we need to ask?
8.
How might a religious disagreement with one's parents be conceptualized
by each of these perspectives?
9. How does each perspective construe the issue
of abortion?
10. How does care appear within the justice
perspective?
11. How does justice appear within the care
perspective?
12.
What sort of person does each perspective regard as the ideal moral thinker or
perceiver?
13.
What is the error most characteristic of each perspective?
14. What does each perspective regard as the
opposite of 'dependence'?
15.
What does
each perspective regard as the best hope for resolving conflict and promoting human
survival?
Now, try to sum up the contrast by
giving a brief (i.e., 25 words or less) description of each perspective.
Finally, spend some time discussing
what you think of Gilligan's ideas. Has
she persuaded you that there are two different ways of thinking about moral
problems? Do you find it plausible to
connect these two perspectives with gender in the way she does? What do you think of Susan Sherwin’s claims
(pp.66-67) that “women’s proficiency at caring is somehow related to women’s
subordinate status”; that caring is not always appropriate (for example, when
it leads women “to protect the men who oppress them”; and that there are thus
important “limits to the place of caring in ethics?”