The Dilemma And Development Of Feminist Ethics Of Care

As an emerging theory of applied ethics,the ethics of care is originated from feminist ethics in the 1970 s.Under the impetus of feminism,the ethical thinking of caring ethic about the characteristics of female caring has stimulated the feminist frontal challenge to the universal ethical norms in traditional ethics,as well as their opposition to male authority in both academic and social fields,which is strongly supported by some scholars,especially females.However,due to its relatively short development time,coupled with relatively weak theoretical basis,the ethics of care suffered from being questioned by a lot of ethicists.The above factors constitute the dilemma of feminist care ethics.In view of above-mentioned situations,this paper tries to find out the way to deal with the theoretical dilemma through analyzing its existing problems objectively.This paper starts from the basic theory of caring ethics,and analyzes the dilemma faced by caring ethics from three aspects of cognition,theory and practice,and development ideas of breaking through its theoretical predicament.The paper has three chapters in total.The first chapter – the theory and orientation of ethics of care,analyzes the social and theoretical backgrounds of the emergence and development of caring ethics and the way of development at the present.Secondly,the core concept of caring ethics ‘caring’ would be defined and explained and then on this basis,subjects and objects of caring as well as the formation of caring relationship would be analyzed.Finally,put it in the framework of the history of ethics development,and take comparative analysis with traditional ethics,highlighting the care of ethics’ characteristics of ‘situational’,‘emotional’ and ’relational’.On the basis of above,the second chapter focuses on the macro-analysis of the theory and orientation of caring ethics,and analyzes a three-dimensional dilemma of‘cognition’,‘idea’ and ‘practice’ in the face of caring ethics.In its cognitive dilemma,the care of ethics first manifests as emotional recognition of one-sidedness,which emphases too much on the role of emotional factors and take an,one-sided negative view on rational function.Following is the ‘one-sidedness of caring ethics’,whosespecific manifestation is the confusion of the source of emotional characteristics of care,so that care ethics itself is difficult to obtain the theoretical basis,the main cognitive and the general recognition of ethical demands.Finally,the ‘ambiguity of the theory of positioning’ is mainly concerned with the blurring caused by the cross of virtue ethics and situation ethic.In the ‘limitations of concepts’,as a result of cognitive imperfect,three dilemmas about gender relationship occur and care and justice oppose each other.The ‘practical dilemma’ of caring ethics first manifests in the fact that women’s status in various fields of society is unequal,which makes it difficult to achieve its practical value in society.Secondly,it shows powerless of changing the social reality.Finally,due to the lack of general acceptance,there is few universal audience in the community for the moral education.Analysis of the dilemma in the caring ethics is to find a solution to its predicament.Therefore,the third chapter firstly explores the ‘cognitive development of caring ethics’.The first step is to clarify the source of its caring characteristics;and then build up the moral autonomy of caring;finally re-position the relationship between care ethics,virtue ethics and situation ethics,and clear its own positioning for care ethics,in order to enhance the awareness of care ethic.The second step is to improve the concept of caring ethics.Firstly break through its single gender cognitive limitations,and expand the path of care;secondly open up the relationship between care ethics and justice theory,enabling them to interact with each other.In reality,only if there are social fairness and justice under the basic conditions,it is able to fulfill caring behavior.The third step is to explore the practice of care ethics.First of all,establish the practical principles of care;secondly,the educational means can be applied to strengthen the guiding role of caring ethics;and then explore the institutional methods to improve the norms of care system;finally,to improve the field of caring behavior,and achieve the target of feminist ethics of care and universal application.