John Chaffee's Discussion Of How The Feminist Views

John Chaffee discusses the feminist view of ethics, referencing Virginia Held's view. Feminism criticizes ethics of the past, making the point on how ethics of the past is more of an idea. Past philosophers discussed the idea of how it should be, but feminist look at it in the perspective of how people feel. Chaffee states,

"Traditional moral theories overlook this realm and in so doing overlook the concern and sympathy which people actually feel for particular others. From the perspective of relationships with particular others, it becomes clear that the idea of the free, rational, individual self is an abstraction that does not exist in real life. Real people like you and me are connected to others—and these others are actual, specific people with whom we have genuine ties, not an abstract idea of “all rational agents.” (9.5)
Feminists believe emotions are an important part of ethics unlike past philosophers. Chaffee states

"Emotions like trust, sensitivity, and empathy, for example, are valuable—perhaps even more valuable than rationality as guides to moral decision making. Held acknowledges that even if we agree that the models of moral behavior we get in the realm of particular others offer a helpful corrective to theories that overemphasize reason’s role in moral behavior, we need not agree that emotions are more valuable than rationality." (9.5)

Feminists believe that the way people use their emotions to act is important and how people learn to use their emotions is just as important. People learn how to use their emotions from watching as children.

If people were to act on past philosopher's views on ethics, then ethics would be a more self-centered idea. While discussing Aristotle's ideas on ethics Chaffee