Transcript Feminist-Based Ethics - Moraine Park Technical College

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Feminism is a diverse collection of social
theories, political movements, and moral
philosophies, largely motivated by or
concerning the experiences of women.
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As a social movement, feminism large
focuses on limiting or eradicating gender
inequality and promoting women’s
rights, interest, and issues in society.

Traditional ethics shows less concern for
women’s issues and interests. It implies
women are not as morally mature as
men.
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Wrote A Vindication
of the Rights of
Woman (1792)
Argued women are
not naturally inferior
to men, and only
appear to be due to
lack of education
She suggests that both men and women
should be treated as rational beings and
imagines a social order founded on
reason.
 She was a radical in the sense that she
desired to bridge the gap between
mankind’s present circumstances and
ultimate perfection.
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John Stuart Mill
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One of the first male
feminists
Wrote The Subjection
of Women
Talks about the role
of women in
marriage and how
he felt it needed to
be changed
John Stuart Mill
con’t
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Mill comments on three major parts of
women’s lives that he felt are hindering them:
› Society and gender construction
› Education
› Marriage
He believed that gender construction and
society in general started the domino effect of
what women were to become at that time
and the time to come
Some critics find that Feminists are
effectively preaching hate against males
 Critics say that if you replace ‘male and
female’ with ‘black and white’ it could
be viewed at racist

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Some argue that because of feminism
males are becoming oppressed
› Those who make this claim argue that males
die from suicide four times more frequently
 From 1980 to the early 1990’s, 72% of suicides
were white males
When the feminist movement began,
women were expected to stay at home
and do household tasks
 Today, women are obtaining equal jobs
and doing just as much in workplace as
men
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Review Question #1

When did the idea of Feminism first
begin, and who had this idea?
Review Question #2

What is the Feminist’s main objective? Ex:
What are they trying to rid our society of
Today, women pursue careers that once
were never thought could be obtained.
 Women are well educated, and are
making a big impact on our competitive
society.

As mother’s, women still take on the task
of caring and nurturing for a child.
 A child’s primal attachment is its’ mother,
and it is hard to steer a woman away
from this responsibility.

› Some mother’s today attend school or work
full-time, and care for a child.
› Their hard work and dedication should be
appreciated, for our children our are future.
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http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-ethics/
http://cco.cambridge.org/extract?id=ccol0521624
517_CCOL0521624517A013
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wollstonecraft
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stuart_Mill
A 21st Century Ethical Toolbox
› By Anthony Weston (2008)