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A dialogue between virtue ethics and care ethics

Patricia Benner

pp. 47-61

Abstract

A dialogue between virtue and care ethics is formed as a step towards meeting Pellegrino's challenge to create a more comprehensive moral philosophy. It is also a dialogue between nursing and medicine since each practice draws on the Greek Virtue Tradition and the Judeo-Christian Tradition of care differently. In the Greek Virtue Tradition, the point of scrutiny lies in the inner character of the actor, whereas in the Judeo-Christian Tradition the focus is relational, i.e. how virtues are lived out in specific relationships, particularly unequal relationships where vulnerability of one of the members is an issue. In a care ethic relational qualities such as attunement rather than inner qualities are the point of scrutiny. A dialogue between these two traditions makes it possible to consider the relational virtues and skills of openness and responsiveness that are required for a respectful meeting of the other.

Publication details

Published in:

Thomasma David C. (1997) The influence of Edmund d. Pellegrino's philosophy of medicine. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 47-61

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-3364-9_5

Full citation:

Benner Patricia (1997) „A dialogue between virtue ethics and care ethics“, In: D. C. Thomasma (ed.), The influence of Edmund d. Pellegrino's philosophy of medicine, Dordrecht, Springer, 47–61.