Ethics of Care-Virginia Held

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The Ethics of Care- Virginia Held 1. What is the central focus of the ethics of care, according to Held? According to Virginia Held, the central focus of the ethics of care is “on the compelling moral salience of attending to and meeting the needs of the particular others for whom we take responsibility.”In easier terms, this means that we have the responsibility to take care of those around us that require us to. The example in the reading refers to children at a young age, as well as elders at an older age. 2. What is the role of emotion in the ethics of care, and how does it contrast with dominant rationalist approaches in ethics? The role of emotion involves compassion. The nurses in an assisted living residence show compassion for their patients, regardless of the patients’ attitude or condition. It contrasts with rationalistic approaches that people get old, and have to deal with it. With compassion, the nurses are making their old age graceful. 3. What are the problems with the universalistic and abstract rules of the dominant approaches to ethics? The problems with the universalistic and abstract rules are that they are unforgiving. It is the way it has to be, and that’s all there is to it. This doesn’t allow for the acceptance of emotions. 4. How does the ethics of care address the extremes of the “selfish individual” and “humanity”? An ethical caregiver places others before themselves. As compared to a selfish individual, who may ask, ‘what is in it for me?’ They are consumed by self-promotion. A cooperative relationship builds integrity or trust. 5. How does the conception of the person contrast with the more traditional view of persons as self-sufficient independent individuals? A person is stronger in a relationship than they are as an individual person. If you have multiple friendships or relationships, each one of you can support
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