Description
Book SynopsisTo be truly reflective, moral thinking and moral philosophy must become aware of the contexts that bind our thinking about how to live. These essays show how to do this, and why it makes a difference.
Trade ReviewMargaret Walker is one of the most profound and original moral philosophers writing today. These essays, written over a period of fifteen years, reveal many ways in which unacknowledged ethical contexts shape not only the perceptions and daily choices of ordinary human beings but also the dominant styles of philosophical ethics. -- Alison Jaggar, University of Colorado at Boulder
Margaret Walker says 'when context is ignored or effaced in theorizing, what we get is irrelevant or bad theory (xiii).' In her welcome new collection of essays, she shows just how right this is. The essays are often surprising, and always powerful and important. This book is a must read for all who want relevant and good ethics. -- Michael Stocker, Syracuse University
Feminist philosopher Margaret Urban Walker makes a compelling case for moral thinking that takes context, particulars, and partiality into account. Suitable for readers in many disciplines, it will be far more difficult arguing against a feminist ethics after reading this thoughtful and compassionate book. * Journal of Moral Education *
Margaret Urban Walker's essays offer a sustained philosophical analysis and defense of what is often called "an ethics of care." Describing the work here as simply a defense of an ethics of care, as a substantive ethical theory, would be a disservice insofar as Walker tackles numerous metaethical issues with acumen and clarity. This book makes a valuable contribution to philosophical discourse in metaethics and normative ethics, interjecting a uniquely feminist perspective. -- Lori Watson, Eastern Michigan University
Margaret Walker writes, 'feminist ethics is not about women but about ethics. Its project is to rethink ethics…' In this collection of previously published essays, Walker’s wisdom about how to rethink the nature of ethics shines brilliantly, and affords her readers a chance to see how her ideas have developed over time. -- Joan Tronto
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction: The Place of Moral Thinking Part 2 Part One: Concepts Absent or Ignored Chapter 3 Moral Particularity Chapter 4 Moral Luck and the Virtues of Impure Agency Chapter 5 Partial Consideration Part 6 Part Two: Feminism as Theory and Context Chapter 7 What Does the Different Voice Say? Gilligan's Women and Moral Philosophy Chapter 8 Moral Understandings: Alternative 'Epistemology' for a Feminist Ethics Chapter 9 Feminism, Ethics, and the Question of Theory Chapter 10 Seeing Power in Morality: A Proposal for Feminist Naturalism in Ethics Chapter 11 Some Thoughts on Feminists, Philosophy, and Feminist Philosophy Part 12 Part Three: Institutional and Social Contexts Chapter 13 Keeping Moral Space Open: New Images of Ethics Consulting Chapter 14 Ineluctable Feelings and Moral Recognition Chapter 15 Naturalizing, Normativity, and Using What 'We' Know in Ethics Chapter 16 Getting Out of Line: Alternatives to Life as a Career Part 17 Part Four: The 'Human' Context Chapter 18 Human Conditions
