Care ethics theory was thoroughly criticized based on the concept of slave morality. This idea was developed by Nietzsche and declares that discriminated people often create the mindset that enables them to treat their forced servant behavior as a kind of virtuous manners (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, n.d.). Thus, the urge and readiness to provide care are viewed not as a positive trait but lowliness that only strengthens oppression.
The other criticism of care ethics lies in the notion that provided help is often parochial. Namely, the caregivers prefer their relatives, friends, and the citizens of their country over other people who need support but are distant from the organized help centers (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, n.d.). Therefore, the accusing ones hold that caregivers are rather selective and provide their services only to the local elite.
The contrast of reason and emotion is valuable for understanding care ethics. As Held (1997) declares, “a genuinely universal … moral theory would be one that would take account of the experience and concerns of women as fully as it does the experience and concerns of men” (p. 99). She claims that care ethics should include the emotional context in moral guidelines, not only traditional pure reasons of Kantian Imperative and Utilitarianism.
Next, public and private spheres and moral behaviors that are appropriate are also part of the care ethics. It is stated in the work of Held (1997) that “gender bias has distorted previous conceptions of these spheres, and we [feminists] are trying to offer more appropriate understandings of “private” morality and “public” life” (p. 102). This citation means that public and private are closely connected. People should act in similar ways in both environments while not producing any gender stereotypes about the natural behavior in these surroundings.
References
Held, V. (1997). Feminist reconceptualizations in ethics. Philosophy in a Feminist Voice, 92–115. Web.
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (n.d.). Care ethics. Web.