Feminist Objections to Kantian, Utilitarianism, and Egoism
Many feminists have problems or objections to Kantian morals, utilitarian ideas, and egoism. The feminist morals are based on care and equality. Many of these ethics have a lot of problems when relating to a feminist.
Feminists have a lot of objections to Kantian morals. For example, there is too much emphasis on duty. For example, a feminist might argue that because feminists emphasize care so much, duty can sometimes overshadow care. Also, science is extremely important in feminism. Kant believes that science is not important where it is a defense in many cases of feminism.
Feminism also has many objections to utilitarianism. Sometimes it is more difficult to see the greater good in things. This also could interrupt the care for someone. For example, the Terri Schiavo case. The husband might feel it is his “duty” to let her die because he thinks she has suffered or didn’t want to be alive too long. It seems that the greater good would be to let her live and then her family would be happy, plus there are a lot of other people in the country that seem to have wanted her to live. This also interfered with the care of Mrs. Schiavo. Also in utilitarianism it says that contracts can be broken to bring about the greater good. If Terri Schiavo had made a living contract saying that she wanted to stay alive under any circumstances and he broke that contract. Then it would completely reject the feminists approach having to do with care. Also sacrificing others can be brutalizing and degrading. I am sure that Mr. Schiavo the husband is being degraded by family members and brutalized over his decision.
Feminists also have some objections to egoism. Egoism makes giving advice in certain situations not valid or even impossible. Let us say that there is an egoist deciding whether or not to take his/her sick friend to the doctor. He/She would probably decide not to because he/she doesn’t want to get sick. The better option for the friend would be to go to the doctor so he/she can get medicine or will not be sick anymore.
When a person becomes a parent, their role in life undoubtedly changes. The person must become a teacher, a guide, and a helping hand in the life of the child. Research has shown that there is a distinct connection between how a child is raised and their overall developmental outcome. John Bowlby’s attachment theory emphasizes the importance of the regular and sustained contact between the parent-infant or parent-child relationship (Travis & Waul 2003). Yet, what happens when the only physical contact a child can share with their parent is a hand pressed on the shield of glass that separates the two? What happens when the last memory of their mother or father was from the corner of their own living room as they watched their parent become handcuffed? In 2007, there was an estimate of approximately 1.7 million children of incarcerated parents in the United States (Poehlmann, Dallaire, Loper & Shear 2010). Of those 1.7 million children, 58% of those children are under the age of 10, with the mean age being 8 (Travis & Waul 2003). The children of incarcerated parents are often moved from one family and one school to the next. The child must cope with this issue in home and in school, and may find it especially hard to cope with during school. Schools, however, can be a safe place for these children. This research explored the psychological effects of parent incarceration on the child, the school-based problems that occur as a result, and what educators can do to support children of incarcerated parents.
The word feminism is sometimes misinterpreted and associated with female superiority and hatred of men, although most people probably agree that feminism can mean the desire for social and economic parity. There is so much baggage surrounding this term that clarification of what feminism is and is not, is essential. Indeed, the way feminism has developed has not been pretty. “Feminism over the years have [sic] evolved away from its noble purpose of creating awareness and defending women rights to creating new ridiculous ‘belief systems.’...feminism has become more like a medium for angry women to vent their hatred and frustration towards man”(“Feminism is Chauvinism”). This definition goes completely against the true meaning of what feminism entails. Feminism can be defined as a fundamental respect for others and the desire for equality between men and women.
The ideology of feminism is that women should be treated as potential intellectual equals and social equals to men. Feminism also, by its nature, embraces the belief that all people are entitled to freedom and liberty within reason-including equal civil rights-and that discrimination should not be made based on gender, sexual orientation, skin color, ethnicity, religion, culture, or life style. Feminists -and all persons interested in civil equality and intellectuality are dedicated to fighting the ignorance that says people are controlled by and limited to their biology, Elizabeth Blackwell is considered an important
Persuasion is an art that we meet in all spheres of life; academia, social, political, etc. It has positive and negative outcomes. When one communicates, it is of extreme importance that an awareness of the Principles of Persuasion is utmost in their preparation if they are to make a lasting impression. This paper will attempt to define and analyze the six principles and show them in application.
Although when dealing with Utilitarianism your own happiness counts equally but it’s the greatest good for the greatest number which doesn’t mean that the majority wins but it’s what is best for all. While Care Ethics mainly focuses on emotions and when dealing with emotion there is no perfect agreement when it comes to emotion because sometimes everyone can end up sad or one can be happy while the other is sad. Care Ethics can be very bias for men and women only because of the difference between them both when dealing with emotions, “Women’s experienced has typically included cultivating special relationships, with family and friends, rather than primarily dealing impartially with strangers, and providing large amounts of caring labor for children and often for ill or elderly family members.” (Held, 118). Therefore when dealing with Care Ethics there is no good outcome because emotions are very hard to deal with especially when yours and others are involved. There are no emotions involved in Utilitarianism and as long as you are producing happiness there will never be a sad moment. For example, if your friends ask you to go somewhere with them and you just know you’re going to be bored because that’s not your type of party but you go anyways just keep your friends happy. I would say that Utilitarianism is better than Care Ethics because there are no emotions involved
According to Farrington, Murray, and Sekol (2012), children are likely to experience stressful life events before and after parental incarceration. Following incarceration, children can experience problems like, but are not limited to, traumatic separation, reduced income, and loneliness (Farrington et. al. 2012). Farrington, Murray, and Sekol found that the circumstances under which children experience parental incarceration vary from child to child, but experiencing incarceration can lead to negative changes in antisocial behavior in children. Dallaire, Thrash, and Zeman, found that incarcerated specific experiences make children more prone to maladjustment than environmental experiences do (2015). Additionally, Borowski, Dallaire, and Zeman studied the effects of maternal incarceration in the context of a child’s socialization, examining emotion socialization of children with incarcerated mothers, finding that higher levels of incarceration-specific risk index predicted low emotional regulation in children (2016).
In this article, Adalist-Estrin discusses the effects that parental incarceration on the adolescent population. Of the many different effects and contributing factors parental imprisonment can have on children, she targets a very prominent three that result in a lack of support and understanding of the presenting issue. The author further discusses and lists the various ways many of these adolescents may experience parental incarceration, including the feelings associated with this trauma. The article sheds light on the challenges faced with providing support as well as why it is crucial to create supportive environments for these children. Importantly, Adalist-Estrin goes on to explain the importance of the roles educators, counselors, and community advocates play as supporters. Suggestions and strategies are offered for responding to and working with this population of children, including that of a support group.
Few assumptions and questions guided my examination of this issue. First, I assumed that the gender of the incarcerated parent had to deal with the level of impact. The absence of the mother must be different from the father. Second, I questioned who would be taking care of the children while the parent's time in prison. Third, I assumed that formerly incarcerated parents would have difficulties taking care of the child after release due to their own mental recovery and other hardships, such as housing, food, employment, etc... Finally, what boundaries (physical, legal and economical) play a role on massive incarceration and thus in what ways effecting the children. In this paper, I will explain my re...
Maternal incarceration makes up just ten percent of all parental incarceration in America (Wright and Seymour 9). Although they are smaller in number, studies have shown that children whose mothers are serving time in jail or prison are more severely affected than children whose fathers are incarcerated (Parke and Clarke-Stewart 2). Mothers were most likely their children’s primary guardian and caregiver before their sentence, while many fathers in prison were not present in their children’s lives even before they were arrested(Parke and Clarke-Stewart 2). The loss of a father that they never knew does not seem to disrupt a child’s life as much as the loss of a mother does.
Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. In simple terms, it is the ideology of women being equal to men and it is often misinterpreted as the belief of women being above them. Feminists believe in diminishing patriarchy which is a system of society and or government in which men are considered more powerful than women. When people are against feminism they are supporting sexism which is why it is important to educate ourselves on the matter and to understand why we need it.
The challenges of children who grow up with parents whom were incarcerated at some point in their childhood can have a major effect on their life. The incarceration of parents can at times begin to affect the child even at birth. Now with prison nurseries the impregnated mother can keep her baby during her time in jail. With the loss of their parent the child can begin to develop behavioral problems with being obedient, temper tantrums, and the loss of simple social skills. Never learning to live in a society they are deprived of a normal social life. “The enormous increase incarceration led to a parallel, but far less documented, increase in the proportion of children who grew up with a parent incarcerated during their childhood” (Johnson 2007). This means the consequences of the children of the incarcerated parents receive no attention from the media, or academic research. The academic research done in this paper is to strengthen the research already worked by many other people. The impact of the parent’s incarceration on these children can at times be both positive and negative. The incarceration of a parent can be the upshot to the change of child’s everyday life, behavioral problems, and depriving them a normal social life.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian author who has received numerous awards and distinctions. Her main argument is that everyone should be a feminist not because of our gender, but because it is what is right. Adichie has been featured in Beyonce’s song, “Flawless”, spreading awareness to the idea of feminism. “We Should All Be Feminists” is a book about her experiences in Nigeria, where men are more powerful than women. The intended audience of the passage is each and every person residing in heavily patriarchal societies. Hesr thesis is “we should all be feminists”.
I will explore feminism on academic and personal perceptions. “Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” (Mehta, 2017, P.24; Hooks, 2013). In Hooks’s article, feminism is not about anti-male, but to announce equality and end patriarchy. She claims that under patriarchy, males are bothered by the violence of men, by hatred women and so much pressure that this society pushes to them. Therefore, it is of vital importance to let them know feminism and to release men from patriarchy. I think feminism is asking for equality between male and female. It is not about women better than men. The request is to diminish the stereotypes and discriminations on women and give women every right as males have. In this way, the
Feminist theory helps to analyze gender inequality and its themes which are discrimination, sexual objectification, oppression, stereotyping and so on.
Equal rights doesn’t mean equal rights for just races, but genders as well. A person can not be a supporter of equal rights for black and white people, but not a supporter of women not having the equal rights of men. In order for someone to be a feminist they have to support all genders, races, and ideas. A Feminist is a man, woman, child, elderly person, criminal, teacher, student, and every other individual who feels equal rights and opportunities for all is fair and just. A feminist is someone who wants true opportunity for all, feminists are the people who are trying to push our society to further successes because when we focus on just men working on tasks and challenges we leave about half of the population out of the opportunity to solve the problem, this is horrible because together we can go farther than with just men the more bodies working on a task the more productive it becomes and the chance of a successful completion