Question

What does care ethics share with Aristotelian virtue ethics? How do they differ as ethical theories?

Answer 1

Care ethics can be defined as the branch of ethics that puts special emphasis on interpersonal relationships and care/benevolence as a virtue that should be central to moral actions.

Virtue ethics can be defined as the branch of ethics that puts special emphasis on behaviour seen as morally desirable or virtuous as opposed to the consequences of the behaviour or one emphasizing external duties and rules.

Care ethics and virtue ethics share the central idea of benevolent behaviour being central to moral actions. Though care ethics specifically focus on the virtue of care as a benevolent behaviour nonetheless virtuous behaviour is common to both the theories. Also both the theories contrast with the theory of consequentialism that merely emphasizes the consequences of one's actions.

Virtue ethics and care ethics differ in certain aspects. They are as follows:

• Virtue ethics doesn't as a theory informs a person about the choice to be made in moral dilemmas. It only explains about the moral character a person needs to develop. Such isn't the case for care ethics. It puts emphasis on relationship we share with people we are close to and thus even in cases of moral dilemmas giving importance to close relationships is the assumed priority.
• Virtue ethics includes a number of qualities that a person needs to develop in order to be of a morally sound character. These can range from anything such as altruism, care, giving, protecting the less privileged etc. But care this specifically focuses on care as the benevolent quality.