Respect for the dignity of every human being drives an ethic of care that arises from recognizing the needs of someone who needs a neighbor to survive and enjoy an optimal quality of life.
Ethics of Care is the name that identifies a book written by Carol Gilligan in Spanish. She is an author of American origin trained as a psychologist and philosopher who proposes an alternative approach or model to the approach to psychology or moral reasoning with marked male influences designed by psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg .
She proposes that empathy , care and the way of cultivating interpersonal relationships are inherent elements of ethics . In his postulate he also gives value to the social context as a determinant when making ethical decisions .
Beyond going in search of relevant information regarding the particularities, theoretical foundations, dimensions and scope of the ethics of care , it is necessary to know that this theory has been (and is) the object of criticism and the generator of debates and controversies . It is questioned, for example, that it reinforces gender stereotypes by marking apparent differences between the feminine and masculine ethical sense or the moral reasoning attributed to men and women. It is also often distasteful that the ethics of care is limited to feminist and/or Western realities without providing spaces to expand it to all types of cultural context. This content is also criticized for the supposed opposition it establishes between the ideas of justice and care . It is sometimes detracted from its prestige by adding more details, because Carol did not investigate on a real basis but in an experimental context.
Characteristics of the ethics of care
When building the model known as ethics of care , Gilligan put the magnifying glass on the feminine tendency to resolve multiple issues from morality. She concluded that women do not mobilize so much based on equity and the abstract conception of justice but rather take action thinking more about the responsibility they have or assume with respect to certain individuals in their environment. Thus, Carol has understood, for the female gender it is common for their own interests or needs and the duty to care for and take care of others to come into conflict.
It follows, in this way, that the notions of attention , community , responsibility , interdependence , cooperation and care come into play in the ethics of care . These bases differ from the pillars of the ethics of justice , where values abound, connected with reason and the need to abide by and comply with rules, which exalt individuality and freedom . That is to say, the ethics of care does not seek to elucidate what is, or is not, fair, but is oriented towards finding answers born from sensitivity to the needs of others, especially of people in a state of dependency or vulnerability .
After collecting data for his theory, Gilligan was able to point out that, beyond gender, human moral development transcends reasoning in the abstract sense.
In Carol Gilligan's opinion, women are deeply inspired and influenced by the historically maternal role: that of caring for others and being more sensitive than men to the needs of others.
On the other hand, several dimensions are distinguished when appreciating the scope of the ethics of care . There are, in this position, considerations about personal , interpersonal , community and social care, without leaving out environmental care or global care . Therefore it is possible to mention that this theory has a wide and diverse field of application . This content and its essence are present in areas of pedagogy and education ; of social work and community care ; of healthcare ; and in corporate responsibility and business management actions.
When analyzing what and how the ethics of care is, it is enriching to reflect on what is intended by understanding care as an activity. On a day-to-day basis, it translates into selfless collaborations and tasks in pursuit of guaranteeing someone's well-being . When assuming a professional commitment , however, care is not spontaneous and is subject to previously stipulated and legislated actions. Care can also be subject to an attitude that encourages caring for someone who, for some reason, needs the support and help of a person.
In nursing practices, for example, an ethical sense and professional commitment must prevail in the relationship with patients.
Importance
Regardless of the controversies that usually arise around the ethics of care , this theory remains valid. As can be seen from practice, today it is used to analyze, from a firm theoretical framework, ethical dilemmas of enormous complexity that frequently appear in areas linked to social work , education , health or social justice .
In the opinion of those who support Gilligan 's position, the ethics of care promotes the development of more democratic and harmonious communities capable of growing under the guidelines of solidarity and justice by having compassion and empathy as central values at an ethical level. a deep conception about care .
It is also defended and disseminated for positioning commitment to one's neighbor as an act that is reflected in collaboration or help, offering at this point recognition and visibility of the responsibility one has and assumes with respect to others. From this deployment, care constitutes a moral commitment that gains strength when one becomes aware of human fragility and decides to act in order to cover or solve the basic needs of an individual.