An Analysis of The Feminist Theory by Kimberly Devaney

After learning about all the major theories of philosophy, I think that I like the Feminist theory the best.

The only real “working” explanation of the feminist theory I found is the one where Feminist Ethics is said to be an attempt to revise, reformulate, or rethink those views of traditional western ethics that have depreciated or devalued women’s moral experiences. In this way the feminist theory recognizes the fact that some female and caring ethical issues have feminist features, and that most of the theorists who are developing female and/or caring approaches to ethics view themselves as feminists. It’s difficult to see what makes an approach to ethics “feminist” as opposed to simply “female” and/or “caring.” One can see where the Feminist theory is a unique theory.

We didn’t spend much time studying about it in class. The course book didn’t even emphasize the Feminist theory, unlike most of the other except ones. I think that the Feminist theory strongly answers societies current belief that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. In my opinion, I see it as the other way around though. Society’s belief in the Feminist theory has lead to the acceptance of the fact that men and women are created, beyond the obvious physical differences, differently mentally.

It is a known fact that professors of Ethics believe that the Feminist theory isn’t a complete theory. They can’t see how psychological differences could account for a difference in the way that men and women address situations or let alone how they process input and ideas when thinking. Others though, find a great debate in whether this is, or even whether it should be considered, as a workable, functioning theory. They believe that the Feminist theory can’t stand the test of a working theory. They contend that it doesn’t have consistency and coherence, justification, plausibility, and usefulness. I think that the fact that no one can definitely defend his or her view on whether or not there should be a Feminist theory gives it credence and life.

In the Feminist Ethics, feminist philosopher Alison Jaggar blames traditional western ethics for failing women in five related ways. She states that, “First, it shows little concern for women’s as opposed to men’s interests and rights.” This is relevant in that even in today’s society where women may be voted into the congress or the senate, women aren’t elected into the position of the President of the United States. They may run, but they won’t be able to hold the office.

Then Ms. Jagger says that the second way western ethics fails women is, “It dismisses as morally uninteresting the problems that arise in the so-called private world – the realm in which women cook, clean, and care for the young, the old, and the sick.” This is the most saddening. Society recognizes the need for this world, but it doesn’t see where women should be compensated, let alone praised for their contributions.

She goes on to say that the third way it fails women is because, ‘It suggests that, on the average, women are not as morally developed as men.” The male dominated society doesn’t realize how degrading this situation is. Whether it is intentional or unintentional, men and women should be seen as being developed the same morally.

Which leads to Ms. Jagger’s fourth way western ethics has failed women which is because, “It overvalues culturally masculine traits like independence, autonomy, separation, mind, reason, culture, transcendence, war, and death, and undervalues culturally feminine traits like interdependence, community, connection, body, emotion, nature, immanence, peace, and life.” This stereotype is loosing its glamour. Evidence of this is in the military, where men and women can now be let to participate on the battlefield, side by side.

Lastly, Ms. Alison Jagger says that the fifth and final way western ethics fails women is that, “It favors culturally masculine ways of moral reasoning that emphasize rules, universality, and impartiality over culturally feminine ways of moral reasoning that emphasize relationships, particularity, and partiality.” It sure can be debated, but Ms. Jagger believes that these are the main five.

In this paper, I feel my main idea is in addressing that the relationship between men and women, as have stated several times, has always been a strained one. The fact that it has taken men thousands and thousands of years to finally recognize that women’s mental processes may be unlike theirs explains why this theory hasn’t really got an accepted following, except by women.

I do believe that men and women were created differently to compliment each other. Even when it comes to thought processes. This in turn results in men and woman thinking in terms that can be opposite as day and night. This might even explain why the author, a man, of our course book for this Ethics class, didn’t mention this theory at all in the book that I could find.

Women have, since the beginning of time, been the nurturers in all species, save for sea horses. This is not to say there aren’t a few men that provide the best nurturing in some instances. But these men are often criticized, ostracized, and condemned by society. Other men call these men “sissy’s” or “gay” or even the dreaded “wife beaten”. Whether it was out of duty, genetic makeup, or just the most likely answer to keeping children safe, women have always taken on the role of caregiver.

In Animals and Women: Feminist theoretical Explorations, by Carol J Adams and Josephine Donovan, they state that, “Historically, the ideological justification for women’s alleged inferiority has been made by appropriating them to animals: from Aristotle on, women’s bodies have been seen to intrude upon their rationality. Since rationality has been construed by most Western theorists as the defining requirement for membership in the moral community, women — along with nonwhite men and animals were long excluded.” As you can see, the Feminist theory has been in the formulation state since men and women could debate. Accepting that this can ever be a working ethical theory, let alone adapting it, though will probably take the rest of forever.

The Feminist theory may also explain why if a woman chooses to forego having children all together or caring for others, she is (and has always been) thought to be substandard or imperfect. Throughout history others have shunned women in society. Just as men have been rejected and called “inexcusable” for showing what some consider “feminist” (care-giving) qualities. Humans have been conditioned to believe that this is and will be the way it should be. Whether it has stayed the norm for ease of use or just convenience, I believe that women are mentally more capable to handle care-giving. If women feel that they should conform to a care giving role is another issue all together.

One example that supports my belief is the fact that men wouldn’t bear children, even if they could. I believe that there would be hardly any children in the world, if it were up to men. With men still having the same mental makeup as they have now, most men would decide that logically, children weren’t worth the effort. Don’t get me wrong, there still would be a few that would decide to procreate so that humans wouldn’t become extinct. But, in the long run, those men would find a way to put all this time, effort, and energy into some medical procedure that would have the same results. I am sure that that is where the idea for growing people in tanks of some sort of clear primordial fluid in the movies came from.

The strained connection between how men and women differ in their thinking processes has kept many a scientist up wondering all hours of the night. I found many books on the subject listed on the Internet. These authors have definitely spent hundreds of hours pondering the Feminist theory. One example is in Femininity and Domination, the feminist critic Sandra Lee Bartky argues that,” Women’s experience of feeding men’s egos and tending men’s wounds ultimately dis-empowers women. She notes that the kind of emotional work practiced by women in some service-oriented occupations often causes these women to lose touch with their own emotional base.” I can see where this may happen in Middle Eastern and Third World societies. But when it comes to Western ethical societies, this may explain why women have evolved to be more emotional (and emotionally secure) then men.

However one looks at it, the Feminist theory has many merits, controversy’s, and blossoming ideas in comparisons to accepted theories of ethics. Our world is still is male dominated one, but if those who believe in the Feminist theory have their way, this too shall pass. I embrace the thought of a world that includes the Feminist theory.

Cite this page