The Maternal Factor: Two Paths to Morality [Paperback]

Nel Noddings (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 24, 2010

In this provocative new book, renowned educator and philosopher Nel Noddings extends her influential work on the ethics of care toward a compelling objective--global peace and justice. She asks: If we celebrate the success of women becoming more like men in professional life, should we not simultaneously hope that men become more like women--in caring for others, rejecting violence, and valuing the work of caring both publicly and personally? Drawing on current work on evolution, and bringing concrete examples from women's lived experience to make a strong case for her position, Noddings answers this question by locating one source of morality in maternal instinct. She traces the development of the maternal instinct to natural caring and ethical caring, offering a preliminary sketch of what a care-driven concept of justice might look like. Finally, to advance the cause of caring, peace, and women's advancement, Noddings urges women to abandon institutional, patriarchal religion and to seek their own paths to spirituality.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The book remains a must-read."--Ethical Perspectives

From the Inside Flap

"Noddings delves deeper into the study of care ethics, an area she pioneered, and emerges with new, sure to be controversial ideas on gender differences, moral development and caring. Anyone interested in these topics will want to read this book."--Michael Slote, author of The Ethics of Care and Empathy

"Noddings presents us with a unique and provocative way to look at basic moral caring. This work from one of America's most prominent intellectual figures is sure to change how we understand ethical and moral evolution."--Jean Watson, University of Colorado Denver

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (April 24, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520265505
• ISBN-13: 978-0520265509
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #931,039 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tour de Force, October 19, 2010

By 

M. Hamington (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Maternal Factor: Two Paths to Morality (Paperback)

Lets face it. Care ethics is confusing to a lot of people. It has no simple formula or rules for right and wrong. "Care" is a common word so everyone thinks they understand it. Traditional philosophers have a hard time with care because of its valorization of emotion and context. Text book authors seem to think that what Carol Gilligan wrote in the 1980's defines care ethics. Nel Noddings is the preeminent care theorist and The Maternal Factor is her greatest and most elegant work.

In a short volume that is not jargon laden, Noddings explains care ethics with accessible insight and examples. This book is destined to be the defining work of care ethics, the most important breakthrough in ethical theory in the last quarter century. This is a rare work of philosophy that is both an easy read and yet highly thought provoking. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to expand their understanding of ethics beyond rules, consequences, and virtues.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Maternal Factor, August 17, 2010

By 

muffet g. miller (minneapolis, mn United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Maternal Factor: Two Paths to Morality (Paperback)

Once again, Noddings stays true to her theory of caring in this book. She connects it a bit into global affairs, and defends it as a theory that empowers rather than subordinates women.