Care Ethics: Noddings and Gilligan

Nell Noddings

American philosopher focused on philosophy of education, educational theory, and ethics of care.
Born in 1929, died in 2022.
Education:
- Bachelor's from Montclair State University.
- Master's in mathematics from Rutgers University.
- PhD in education from Stanford University.
Taught at:
- Stanford University,
- Columbia University,
- Colgate University,
- Eastern Michigan University.

Studied at Swarthmore College (Bachelor's).
Master's in clinical psychology from Radcliffe College.
PhD in Social Psychology from Harvard.
Taught at:
- University of Chicago,
- Harvard,
- Cambridge,
- New York University.

Differs from normative ethical theories (utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics) by moving away from general rules.
Focuses on personal relationships and interactions.

Aims to create a universal ethical theory while avoiding moral subjectivism.
Uses the universal experience of caring as a model.
Model is both feminine and explicitly feminist.
Focuses on the needs of those cared for in relational contexts to determine moral obligations.
Views ethics as feminine because women are more likely to approach problems from a caring standpoint due to socialization and social status.
Founds ethical principles on human love and caring in human relationships.

Natural Caring: Acting on behalf of someone else because you want to.
- Analogy to mother caring for her children (human and non-human animals).
- Driven by natural drive, instinct, or desire.
- Example: Buying coffee, writing a kind note, or baking cookies for a friend because you care and want to do it.
Ethical Caring: Acting on behalf of someone because you ought to, despite conflicting desires to serve your own interests.
- Described as an "I must" response to someone's plight.
- Example: Helping a friend going through a tough time, even if you want to avoid the stress and emotional labor.

Care ethics may prioritize interpersonal relationships over obligations to distant strangers.
Criticism: Morality requires treating everyone the same.
Noddings' response: Relationships form a good basis for interacting with others.
Good moral reasons exist for preferring friends and loved ones in certain circumstances.

Distinction between the justice perspective and the care perspective.
Based on observations from studies where participants responded to moral dilemmas.
Justice Perspective:
- Focuses on abstract universal principles.
- Often adopted by male participants in research studies.
Care Perspective:
- Focuses on relations.
- Often adopted by female participants in research studies.
- Focuses on concrete relationships between individuals instead of abstract principles of right and wrong.

Student must decide whether to report the proctor for violating rules.
Justice Perspective:
- May argue against reporting based on principles related to the rule's fairness or the proctor's behavior.
Care Perspective:
- Focuses on what is best to handle the person's drinking problem.
- Aims to be a source of help, not harm.
- May argue against reporting if it won't help with the alcohol problem; instead, focus on helping the individual.

Care approach shifts the question from equality or fairness to attachment or detachment.
Actions that increase attachment to others are more appropriate, while those that detach are less appropriate.