Carol Gilligan: interpretation of “Feminine Ethics” Essay

To start with carol Gilligan is considered to be one of the most far-famed psychologists in the United States and in the world. The author of the fair(prenominal) ethics was born(p) in New York in 1936. Her booter as a ascending psychologist started with the presenting of the doctoral thesis at the Harvard University in 1964. For a decade she was work with the great theorist of clean development, Lawrence Kohlberg, but then she began criticizing his working. In her far-famed book In a Different Voice Psychological surmise and Womens Development (1982) Gilligan presents a revolutionary idea, she gives women rights to choose and she associates them with care and in some display character references with the motherhood.Still, there were some reasons why Gilligan began to criticize Lawrence Kohlbergs work. Firstly, she considered him to attain alternatively a narrow approach to the problem of clean-living values. Secondly, Lawrence Kohlberg examined but mens moral princi ples and paid no attention to womens feeling and in such way, Kohlberg showed biased opinion against women. Thirdly, Gilligan felt that women should consider the voice and she wanted to present a controversial approach to womens rights and moral values. Fourthly, Kohlberg in terms of influence on a forgiving race considered mens rights and rules to be at the higher form than womens (Gilligan, 1982).Lawrence Kohlberg was not the only scientist whose works gave Gilligan ground for her future work. She give out her research on Freuds and Ericksons works. Thus, while discussing womens moral senses Sigmund Freud, stressed that they are underdeveloped, because of womens dependence upon their mothers (Lawrence, 2008). Another famous disciplinarian and theorist, Erik Erickson believed that the process of womens development is successful only in case of separation from the mother and the family. Thus, the board schools for girls are a good misfortune for a young lady to develop moral senses. Still, Erickson thought that if a woman did not come with the process of self-development she would be abstracted some major senses, which make her a real woman (Boeree, 2004).Criticizing the above-named theories Gilligan understood that her goal was to present a new approach to the womens moral senses. Her theory comprises three aspects of womens moral development selfish, cordial and principled morality. According to Gilligan (1982) Women must chink to deal with their own interests and to the interests of others.The above-mentioned theory has laid the basis for the Gilligans Ethics of Care and womanly approach to the womens role in the ordering. I look walking(prenominal) to the proposed three-stage theory some similarities to Freuds one get out be found. Thus, Gilligan presents the future(a) ideas as for the first level the level of self the self is the touch on object of a womans concern. This self is a beleaguered self a powerless and disappointed self, so a fraid of being go against that it prefers isolation to connectedness.this is a self that wants above all to brook (Gilligan, 1982)Still, the first level is the level of appetite and when the woman makes the passing from wish to necessity, from the selfishness to willful decision and to the responsibility of moral woof she will reach the wink level the level of moral development. The main precedent which leads the woman to move from the first to the second level is a rely to establish connections with others and to participate in social life. According to Gillian the woman of the second level is the conventional, nurturing woman who equates truth with self-sacrifice and who tries to subjugate her wants to those of other citizenry (Gilligan, 1982).The moral development of a woman according to Gilligan can keep to the third level in the case when a woman suppresses her wants and as a result, she reaches a destructive boiling point. Thus, Gillian writes to avoid becoming a re sentful, angry, even hateful person, a woman needs to push beyond level two to level three of moral development, where she will learn how to care for herself as well as for others (Gilligan, 1982)So in case when a woman moves to the third level the process of making decisions is a two-sided procedure. From one hand woman takes into consideration her own want and from the other hand she looks at others interests and tries to find a happy medium. Gilligan characterizes the move from the second level to the third level as a transition from goodness to rightfulness. She writes A woman moves from pleasing others being the conventionally good, everlastingly self-sacrificing woman to recognizing her own needs as part of whatsoever relationship. In sum, a woman attains moral maturity when she stops oppose her needs in favor of others, simultaneously recognizing the falseness of this polarity and the truth of her and others interconnectedness (Gilligan, 1982).As it becomes clear Gillig an believes that women look at moral senses through the prism of caring about others and responsibilities to others. Still, Gilligan uses rather a narrow approach to the womens moral senses. It is obvious that women are living in society and fulfill their roles according to the choice made. But Gilligan ties ethic of caring with the relationship and responsibility and here is the greatest confusion. Thus, from one hand women make choice on their own from the other hand they are to look at their family, relatives, and friends. Can there some misunderstanding be found? and comparing the Gilligan work In a different voice with the feminine approach which is presented in the work, it should be stressed that everything is circling around care, which the woman is induce to give. But is it a real feminism? It cant be so. Still, it should be stressed that Gilligans work influenced a lot of works in the demesne of womens morality and feminism.Analyzing Gilligans work Omonia Vinieris, the interpreter of idealism, writes that proposed three-level development of moral senses cannot be utilize to the modern society because of the male competition and self-interest. She stresses that sensitivity and kindness were never equated with human goodness and as a result presented feminine approach cannot be applied to the rational and intellect male-world (Vineries, 2002)Using Gilligans ethics of care Brenda green proposes to apply feminist care to the nursing practice. She thinks that care can be applied to politics and can be associated with sex and power. Moreover fleeceable advocates the idea that the ethics of care should be rooted in the moral frameworks of responsibility and relationships rather than rights and rules and that any care orientation is inseparable from contextual circumstances rather than being a formal and abstract transcription of thought. Additionally, care should be grounded in the daily activity of life rather than a set of universal principles. ( Green, 2012)Houser, Wilczenski, and play (2006) using the Ethics of care suggest that feminism ideology includes two primary streams of woman-centered approaches which are pertinent to care ethics the feminine and the feminist. Feminine refers to the exploration of womens strange voice and advocates for an ethic of care. Feminist refers to the resistance against male domination and advocates for suitable rights. Both approaches seek to validate the importance of experience, understand the destructiveness of oppression, and eliminate gender and social in tolerableity.Halwani (2003) in his turn suggests that while using care equal weight should be given in our moral deliberations. The main start of the family from his point of view is responding to the needs of the loved ones. Such an approach implicates partialism or discrimination in care to others. Although partialism seems arbitrary, it does assign greater importance to the guard of ones own interests and to the interests of those the person cares about, over the protection of the public assistance of others, particularly those who are strangers.Coming to conclusion it should be stressed that Carol Gilligan has presented the new approach to the development of womens moral senses and feministic ideas as for the womens role in the society. Beside Gilligans works influenced further studies in the sphere of morality and the womens place in the society.ReferencesBoeree C. G. (2004) Personality theories Erik Erikson. Psychology incision ShippensburgUniversity.Retrievedfromhttp//www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/perscontents.htmlGilligan, C. (1982) In a Different Voice Psychological Theory and Womens Development. Cambridge, Mass. Harvard University Press.Green B (2012) Applying Feminist Ethics of Care to Nursing Practice. daybook of Nursing & Care. Retrieved from https//www.omicsonline.org/open-access/applying-feminist-ethics-of-care-to-nursing-practice-2167-1168.1000111.php?aid=6557.Halwani R (2003) Care ethics an d virtue ethics. Hypatia, 18, 161-192.Houser R, Wilczenski F, Ham M.A. (2006) Culturally relevant ethical decision-making in counseling. Sage Publications, California.Lawrence A. (2008) Gilligan and Kohlberg Implications for Moral Theory. Blum beginning Ethics, 98 (3), 472-491Vinieris O. (2002) On the feminist theory of care. QCC. Retrieved from http//www.qcc.cuny.edu/SocialSciences/ppecorino/ETHICS_TEXT/Chapter_12_Feminism/What_is_it.htm