Deck 9: Caring

Question 1

How would you answer the question "Should Heinz steal the drug?" How would you justify your answer? Is your justification more similar to Jake's or to Amy's?

Answer 1

One may answer something like "life is more important than the law. It would be wrong to let the wife die just because the law says not to steal. So the husband should steal the drug." This sounds very much like the answer Jake gives, and it appeals to the absurdity of a situation where a law which is meant to protect someone's life, liberty, and property is in fact preventing their life and liberty in order to protect someone else's property. Someone may also answer, "There are plenty of ways to get the drug without breaking any laws, like talking it over, or raising the money." This is essentially the answer that Amy gives. This acknowledges that the problem is not as binary as it seems when presented by the interviewer. There are ways to honor the law, even in absurd circumstances, and still get what you want/need. One may further answer something which sounds like both of the responses: "The husband should do whatever he can to get the drug without breaking the law, like talking it out and raising money, or taking out a loan. But if everything else fails, he should steal the drug."

Question 2

What are the similarities and differences between an ethic of justice and an ethic of care? Does the distinction hold up in all circumstances? Would you agree with Kohlberg that Jake's ethic of justice reasoning is more mature than Amy's ethic of care reasoning? Explain.

Answer 2

The ethic of justice emphasizes fairness and logic in determining moral judgments. The ethic of care emphasizes the relationships involved in a given situation. There is not always a clear answer, but rather, many possibilities and alternatives which accomplish the same goal. Similarities between the two ethics are that they aim at essentially the same goal: what id good or right in a given situation. In Kohlberg's example, both ethics agree that the wife should get the drugs she needs to survive, but they differ on the methods used to get them this illustrates another difference between the two: the ethic of justice sees a method and asks if it is right or wrong in a particular situation. The ethic of care sees a goal, and asks which method of the many available is the right one.
One may agree with Kohlberg that Jake's ethic of justice is more mature, for it does exhibit some higher level reasoning and use of logic to solve moral problems, which is generally considered to be something which develops with maturity and age. However, one may disagree with Kohlberg by pointing out that the ethic of care, and its emphasis on creative was of solving a situation is in fact more mature, even if the standard of maturity is logic and rationality. It requires one to come up with many different possibilities and scenarios of how a single situation could be solved, and deduce from them the likely consequences of solving it in that way. Further, it requires that one rank them in an order of likelihood of success. And while doing all of this, it exhibits an understanding of human interaction and relation which the justice approach ignores. In fact, far more mental processing and maturity of thought may be required by the ethic of care.

Question 3

What is not required by the caring relationship?

A) Engrossment
B) Motivational displacement
C) Reciprocity
D) Mutuality

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Mo Tzu argues that like Yin and Yang, love and hatred are two dichotomies that define human existence.

Question 5

Contrast Kohlberg's account of the stages of moral development with Gilligan's. Do you agree with Gilligan that neglect of the ethic of care diminishes our understanding of human development? Explain.

Question 6

Gilligan's study was designed to show __________.

A) Boys have a higher level of moral development than girls
B) Girls have a higher level of emotional intelligence than boys
C) Boys and girls have different conceptions of morality and self
D) All of the above

Question 7

The women in Gilligan's abortion dilemma tended to use the words __________.

A) Reflective and unreflective
B) Logical and illogical
C) Fair and unfair
D) Responsible and selfish

Question 8

Mo Tzu says many do not practice mutual love because they do not understand the advantages of mutual love.

Question 9

Do you think that the solution Mo Tzu provides as to how to bring about change is a simple or a complex solution? Is its simplicity/complexity a strength or a weakness? Why?

Question 10

Noddings argues that women employ a fundamentally different approach to moral problem solving, an essentially feminine approach, that it cannot be shared by men.

Question 11

To what does Mo Tzu attribute all injustice and injury to the state?

A) Original sin
B) Ignorance
C) Want of power
D) Lack of mutual love

Question 12

Do you agree with Mo Tzu that we all should love everyone? Is it possible to genuinely love everyone? Is it perhaps more human to love those more who are close to us? (Here, you could compare your thinking to that of Mo Tzu, Singer or Noddings.)

Question 13

Gilligan notes that female respondents tend to rely on an "ethics of care" whereas male respondents tend to demonstrate "an ethic of reasoning."

Question 14

How does Mo Tzu connect lack of mutual love and injustice? Do you agree that lack of mutual love is the essence of what is behind injustice, or is it only one component among many? Are all injustices due to the same thing? Explain.

Question 15

Gilligan agrees with Kohlberg's stages of moral development, but disagrees with his methodology for assigning individuals to various stages.

Question 16

Mo Tzu notes that love and compassion are often lacking from our daily lives primarily because the character traits or virtues or love and compassion are the most difficult to cultivate.

Question 17

What is Gilligan's criticism of Kohlberg's study?

A) She criticizes the design of Kohlberg's study
B) She criticizes the use of children in Kohlberg's study
C) She criticizes the accuracy of Kohlberg's findings
D) She criticizes Kohlberg's interpretation of the results

Question 18

What is not an essential element of caring from the inner view, according to Noddings?

A) The commitment to act on behalf of the cared for
B) The commitment to care for everyone
C) The continued renewal of commitment
D) The continued interest in the reality of the other

Question 19

Do you find Mo Tzu's theory to be practical or utopian? Is that a strength or a weakness of what he says? Support your answer with details from Mo Tzu's argument.

Question 20

How does Mo Tzu explain the failure of so many to live up to the Law he promotes?

A) They do not understand its advantages
B) They have never heard of this law
C) This law is very difficult to follow
D) Following this law requires great sacrifice

Question 21

Mead views human genetic research through the lens of colonial imperial history.

Question 22

Hallie argues that a disparity in __________ lay at the center of the dynamism of cruelty.

A) Understanding
B) Caring
C) Power
D) Empathy

Question 23

According to Hallie, institutionalized cruelty is the _________.

A) Subtlest kind of cruelty
B) Most obvious kind of cruelty
C) Simplest kind of cruelty
D) Most pervasive kind of cruelty

Question 24

According to Hallie, what is cruelty? Note the superficial explanations that he rejects and explain why he thinks that a deeper explanation is necessary. What is the difference between institutionalized and episodic cruelty? Do you think that the distinction sheds light on ways of understanding contemporary racism? Explain.

Question 25

Do you think that Hallie's essay makes a contribution to an "ethic of caring" as described by Carol Gilligan (Reading 78) or Nel Noddings (Reading 79)? To what extent and why?

Question 26

What is the fundamental aspect of caring from the inside?

A) Apprehending the reality of the other
B) Undergoing conflict
C) Resolving to live with conflict
D) The desire to be good

Question 27

Does Hallie think that caring or kind behavior can also be cruel? Do you agree with his reasoning? Explain your answer with examples.

Question 28

Reconsider the difference between institutionalized and episodic cruelty. What would institutionalized caring look like?

Question 29

The case of the mathematics teacher suggests that the person who thinks that she cares for the student is in reality not acting out of genuine care. Do you agree that someone can be mistaken about whether she truly cares? If so, how does that kind of situation arise? If not, why not?

Question 30

Mead compares the cultural imperialism and conquest of indigenous people by European colonists with __________.

A) Globalization and its attendant violations of human rights
B) Permissive abortion laws
C) Human genetic research
D) Slavery in the modern world

Question 31

At the end of the selection, Hallie talks about two perspectives on whether individuals have the power to make changes. Which perspective do you agree with and why? If an outsider were looking at your actions, what guess do you think that the outsider would make about how you would answer that question based on your actions? (In other words, does your behavior agree with your beliefs?)

Question 32

Describe the difference in starting points between Noddings's approach to animals and Singer's approach. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each as you see it? For example, is Noddings's approach too subjective? Is Singer's approach too impersonal? Support your answer with specific examples to which both theories might be applied.

Question 33

Noddings thinks it is presumptuous to suppose __________.

A) To place reflective consciousness over non reflective.
B) That it is impossible to have a caring relationship with everyone. .
C) That we can determine the greatest good for a large number of people
D) That there is a natural relationship between the one-caring and the cared-for

Question 34

What is the difference between merely providing care for someone and truly caring for that person? Do you think that our moral obligations extend to everyone or only to those we can truly care for? Explain.

Question 35

What do you think that the villagers of Le Chambon have to teach about the relationship between morality and caring? Explain.

Question 36

According to Hallie, a negative ethic is one of __________.

A) Goodness
B) Kindness
C) Risk
D) Decency

Question 37

Hallie argues that a power differential is central to the notion of cruelty.

Question 38

Think of a specific moral problem that you have been involved with. Does Noddings correctly describe how you approached the problem? Is she right about the role of gender in what approach we take? Explain.

Question 39

Hallie begins his essay discussing how ethics is personal, and he uses particular historical stories to help him understand cruelty and goodness. Can you think of a story that similarly helps you understand a particular ethical concept, principle, or value? Summarize the important parts of the narrative and explain how they illustrate an ethical point.

Question 40

According to Hallie, at the opposite end of cruelty is __________.

A) Kindness and hospitality
B) Freedom and hospitality
C) Freedom and kindness
D) Kindness and mercy

Question 41

Do you think that Mead's essay contributes to an "ethic of caring" as described by Carol Gilligan (Reading 78) or Noddings? To what extent and why?

Question 42

What are the ethical implications of Venter's work, according to Zizek? What sorts of possibilities and ensuring concerns of prospects do you see?

Question 43

Zizek opposes man's intervention in nature on the grounds that it is wrong to play God.

Question 44

Often, debates about genetic patenting concern who has what rights. How does the issue of care or respect for ancestors change the debate? That is, if we begin with a focus on care for our own and other people's ancestors, what new concerns become central to the debate?

Question 45

In negating the view that nature involves competition (and not cooperation) deWaal gives which of the following examples?

A) Monkeys that share watermelon
B) Bees that live in harmony in a comb
C) Ants that band together to protect their queen
D) All of the above

Question 46

De Waal's research focuses on the aggressive nature of humans and chimpanzees.

Question 47

What is Zizek's critique of the "free autonomous individual"? How does it compare with other critiques of individualism in this chapter?

Question 48

What does deWall say about the social contract?

A) It is a myth
B) It is biologically grounded
C) It is what distinguishes humans from nonhuman animals
D) It is what separates justice with respect to animals and justice with respect to humans

Question 49

De Waal argues that humans and chimpanzees are inherently empathetic and cooperative, that moral sentiments are shared with other animals.

Question 50

What is one of the Western world's greatest myths, according to Mead?

A) There is no basis for a separation of scientific goals and social ideologies
B) A gene and combination of genes are not the sole property of individuals
C) The Human Genome Diversity Project promotes itself as a humanitarian project
D) Science exists outside a cultural framework and has no political or economic concerns

Question 51

Zizek is critical of many of the new advances in synthetic biology.

Question 52

Which of the following is not mentioned by Zizek?

A) Monkeys with sensors in their brains that can control robotic arms
B) A man-made microbe
C) Nietzsche's overman
D) A goat with human eyes

Question 53

Zizek argues that the biogenic revolution is one factor which shows we are living in a grave and inoperable crisis.

Question 54

Mead thinks that knowledge is __________.

A) Not empowering to all
B) Empowering to all
C) Empowering to indigenous peoples
D) Not empowering to Western science

Question 55

In describing feeding time at their field station near Atlanta, de Waal compares the aggression of male apes to Hobbes's notion of the state of nature-wherein life is "nasty, brutish and short."

Question 56

Which of the following best captures Zizek's intent?

A) Digitalization will impact the hermeneutic horizon of our everyday experience
B) Digitization will lead to a world where humans enslave cyborgs
C) Digitization will lead to the humanization of lower animals
D) Al l of the above

Question 57

How does Nel Noddings's (Reading 79) notion of engrossment, or the lack thereof, play into the conflicts described by Mead? What, according to Mead, are scientists engrossed in? What does she want them to be engrossed in?

Question 58

Zizek talks about the possibility of using electromagnetic waves to control our emotions. Do you think this possibility is fundamentally different from the use of drugs? Do you support the development of this technology?

Question 59

What is not something Mead wishes to do?

A) Gaining robust informed consent from indigenous peoples
B) Protecting genetic materials already collected from commercialization
C) Patenting the genetic material of indigenous peoples to preserve it from bio-pirates
D) Showing that things like the HGDP are not "good" or "sustainable" science

Question 60

Explain the difference in worldviews that Mead describes. Do you think that a difference in worldviews can explain how the good intentions of those working on the Human Genome Diversity Project can be experienced as oppressive or racist by some? Think of other situations in which a difference in worldview can lead to ostensibly good intentions being experienced as condescending or oppressive.

Question 61

Hursthouse argues that women who are childless by choice or who choose abortion are irresponsible and selfish, and thus lacking in virtue.

Question 62

What is "socially responsible individualism"? What examples of it does Collins give?

Question 63

How would you define "good mothering"? How do the women Collins discuss define it? To what extent does good parenting extend beyond the family?

Question 64

What is compassion? Do animals exhibit compassion? If so, what are the ethical implications? Are we as similar to chimpanzees as de Waal says? Why or why not?

Question 65

Hursthouse argues that the status of the fetus is not relevant to the question of abortion. How does she arrive at that conclusion? Do you agree with her reasoning? Why or why not?

Question 66

What does Hursthouse say is irrelevant within virtue theory?

A) The particular situation in which abortion is considered
B) The familiar biological facts of pregnancy
C) Whether women have a moral right to terminate their pregnancies
D) How long one has lived with a fetus

Question 67

According to Hursthouse, when an abortion is an appropriate decision it __________.

A) Is always reflection of moral virtue
B) Is always because of difficult physical circumstances
C) Is always a reflection of a moral failing
D) Can be a reflection of a moral failing

Question 68

Hursthouse defines a virtue as "a character trait a human being needs to flourish or live well." What kinds of character traits do you think fit into this category? What kinds of character traits do you think are vices?

Question 69

Why do humans exhibit compassion, altruism, empathy and care? Do we help others or selfish reasons?

Question 70

What images does Collins refer to that she claims are designed to oppress black mothers?

A) The welfare mother
B) The matriarch
C) The mammy
D) All of the above

Question 71

Collins argues that the institutions which shape Black motherhood are diverse.

Question 72

For Hursthouse, we need to understand the specific circumstances involved in order to come to a conclusion about whether a virtuous decision is being made. Throughout the essay, Hursthouse describes various cases where a woman may be exhibiting virtuous or nonvirtuous behavior. Do you agree with her descriptions? Why or why not?

Question 73

Collins decries attempts to mold the institution of Black motherhood to benefit intersecting oppressions of race, gender, class and sexuality

Question 74

What kinds of things do you think de Waal has in mind when he says that economists and politicians model society on flawed assumptions about what human are like?

Question 75

Hursthouse argues that abortion is permissible only for therapeutic reasons, that is, to save the life of the mother.

Question 76

Collins provides an analysis of motherhood from the standpoint of a Black feminist.

Question 77

Where, according to Collins, does the ethic of care come from for many African American women? After reading the selection, do you live out an ethic of care? If so, where does it come from?

Question 78

Central to Collins notion of motherhood is the notion of __________.

A) Fatherhood
B) Other mother
C) Other father
D) Fatherless

Question 79

Hursthouse thinks that __________.

A) Abortion is a wrong that only women do
B) Abortion is always a wrong decision
C) Men can exhibit viciousness in with regard to abortion
D) A virtuous man always supports the abortion decision a woman makes

Question 80

What, according to Hursthouse, is the relevance of caring relationships to the question of whether one should have an abortion? How does the fact that humans exist in caring familial relationships bear on the facts that Hursthouse considers important? Do you think that she strikes the right balance among all of these considerations? Why or why not?