Can we identify “care ethics” with feminist ethics? What aspect of traditional ethics does “care ethics” criticize? What is the basic proposal of the advocates of this theory for improving ethics in general?
Care ethics dictate the application of moral theories bound by the context of the situation prevailing at that time. This was context entailed interdependencies between those who give care and those in need of care. It was formulated in the 80’s by feminist idealist: a psychologist and philosopher. Feminist ethical theories, unlike traditional ethical theories, stress the importance of relationships in the society as key to dictating morality. The two ethical theories advocate for morality bound by context. Care ethics criticized the male bias of traditional ethical theories. Carol Gillian and Nel Noddings both stressed a ‘voice of care’ as a better alternative to a perspective purely motivated by justice in liberal human rights theory.
Discuss the different ways in which freedom can be compatible or incompatible with determinism.
Freedom is the ability to choose between two possible actions that have differing consequences and determinism is a belief that holds that only one course of action is possible for any event. Compatibilists believe that freedom is compatible with determinism. They argue that freedom entails having an idea of the course of events before choosing one, which is exactly what is dictated by determinism: there is only one course of action. Hence the two are one and the same thing. However, incompatibilism holds that free will is non-consequential to determinism. Take for instance a man facing a firing squad; compatibilists hold the view that he can choose to face his death bravely or cowardly; incompatibility holds that freedom to be of no consequence since the only course of action is death.
d. On terrorism: Explain how the definition of terrorism affects the discussion about the moral status of terrorism.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations in the US, terrorism entails using violent acts and intimidation to justify political views. The problem of justification of terrorism as moral is tied down to the politics of a society. Calling terrorism moral is controversial at best. It can be viewed as an insult to the death and injured. At the same time, in the society, it is sometimes convenient to kill masses to advance political agenda. Take instance what happened in Libya: Gaddafi and most of his supporters and family were either killed or injured. Compare this to the 9/11 attacks in which members of Islam community attacked America to advance their political agenda. Both constitute violent acts advancing political agenda – terrorism – but positive morality is assigned to the latter and not the former.
f. Assisted suicide: Some of the most common objections against assisted suicide are: (1) the right of self-determination (self-control) or freedom; (2) charity to relieve suffering; (3) the lack of difference between passive and active euthanasia. How does Daniel Callahan respond to these objections? Explain how Michael Tooley approaches these arguments.
Assisted suicide entails killing a patient to end their suffering. Daniel Callahan believes we are morally justified to administer charity to relieve suffering but cautions that this is marred with uncertainties. He however believes that if done selfishly to end our own suffering, then the patient is denied that freedom: to choose their fate. He also says that active and passive euthanasia has significant moral differences: the cause of death is either by third party or suicide and death by third party morally wrong – subject to intention of physician. Michael Tooly however believes there is no difference between active and passive euthanasia from the basis of knowledge. Whether u know or assist in euthanasia, the moral implications are equivalent. He also believes self-determination is tied to the state of mind of a patient: they have to be psychologically aware. Finally, he believes it not morally wrong to perform assisted suicide.
Works Cited
Bellevu College. Defending the moral distinction between killing and letting die. n.d. Web. 12 May 2016. <http://personal.bellevuecollege.edu/wpayne/killing%20and%20letting%20die_1.htm>.
Callahan, Daniel. The Troubled Dream of Life: In Search of a Peaceful Death. Washington DC: Georgetown University Press, 2000. Print.
Daniels, Victor. Determinism, Freedom, and Awareness. n.d. Web. 12 May 2016. <https://www.sonoma.edu/users/d/daniels/freedom%20and%20determinism.html>.
Federal Bureau of Investigations. Terrorism: Definitions of Terrorism in the U.S. Code. n.d. Web. 12 May 2016. <https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/terrorism/terrorism-definition>.
Sher, Lisa. Ethics of Care. 2011. Web. 12 May 2016. <http://ethicsofisl.ubc.ca/?page_id=170>.
Tooley, Michael. "In Defense of Voluntary Active Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide." Contemporary Debates in Applied Ethics (2005): 161-178. Document.
Vandeveer, Donald. Paternalistic Intervention: The Moral Bounds on Benevolence. New Jersy: Princeton University Press, 2014. Print.
