Abstract
Are women more caring than men, as the ethics of care tradition suggests? Do they think more, feel more, and do more for, others than men? Most people seem to think so, be they researchers or lay people, men or women. However, the evidence from psychology and neuroscience does not support this conclusion. Matching the cognitive and emotional traits most obviously related to caring, we find few, if any, differences between male and female capacities and propensities. In addition, this chapter throws doubt on some of the characterizations of care in the ethics of care tradition. For instance, greater emotional enmeshing with the other does not seem to lead to more prosocial or altruistic behavior.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2012 Heidi Lene Maibom
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Maibom, H.L. (2012). In a Different Voice?. In: Bluhm, R., Jacobson, A.J., Maibom, H.L. (eds) Neurofeminism. New Directions in Philosophy and Cognitive Science. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230368385_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230368385_4
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-33392-9
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-36838-5
eBook Packages: Palgrave Religion & Philosophy CollectionPhilosophy and Religion (R0)