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BIOETHICSANDLEGALPHILOSOPHY
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ontheroleofgenderdifferences,ittakesabroaderviewaswell,rangingacross
awidearrayofissuesonthebasisofageneraltheoreticalframework.
Theethicsofcaredrawsourattentioninthefirstplacetoourbeingper-
sonsboundbydifferentrelationshipswithotherpersonswithwhomweshare
commitments,hopes,andfeelings.Thelong-establishedapproachtoethicsthat
viewspersonsassomanyseparateindividuals–assubjectsofrights,liberties,
andduties–achievesclarityattheexpenseofsimplification,byneglectingthe
sphereoftheemotionsandtheroleofresponsibility.AsispointedoutinCarol
Gilligan,sseminalworkInaDifferentVoice:PsychologicalTheoryandWomen’s
Development,5thissphereisclosertowomenandtheirwayofviewinglife,with
afocusoncareinspecificcontextsthroughtheparticularityofhumanrelations,
whilemen,incontrast,arerathermoreinclinedtoactonthebasisofprinciple.
Gilligan,andthesubsequentcontributionoffeministthoughtandgenderstud-
ies,haveshownuswhatitmeanstobringthesefurtherconsiderationsintoper-
spective.Weshouldconceiveofmorallifenotastherationaloroptimalresolu-
tionofconflicts,butasalifeofcareandresponsibilitytowardothers,recognizing
thecontext-specificvalenceofourmoraldecisions,insuchawayastotakeinto
accountgenderrolesalongwiththedifferentpersonal,cultural,andsocialback-
groundsofthosewearerelatingto.
DespitethelimitationsofGilligan,sworkandthatofotherscholarswhohave
contributedtocareethicsandgenderstudies,bioethicistsandhealthprofession-
alsalikecandrawonthiscontext-sensitiveconceptioninworkingthroughthe
issuestheyfacewithregardtobioethicsandmedicalassistance.6
Theethicsofcareasksusgenerallytothinkcriticallyaboutcertaintraditional
categorieswithout,however,doingawaywiththewholedebateonrights,duties,
andfreedoms.Rather,theideaistointegratetheethicofcareintoaworking
wholewiththeethicofjustice.Theissueswefacewithregardtobiotechnologies
callforacontext-basedapproachtocarefocusedlessonmeasuringtherightness
ofthechoicesmadeinhealthcareandmoreonprobingintothereasonsandmo-
tivationsthatpromptustomakeonechoiceratherthananother.
Eventhoughbioethicshasdevelopedindifferentwaysindifferentcountries
(andItalyisjustoneexample),thishasnotpreventedusfromsettlingonan
agreeddefinitionofbioethics,whichconsistsinclarifyingandworkingoutthe
ethicalquestionsarisinginconnectionwiththesciencesandthebiomedical
technologiesintheirapplicationtohumanlifeandtheenvironment.
Whatdoesstilloccasiondebateisthestatusornatureofbioethics,namely:Is
bioethicsaspecificallyphilosophicaldiscipline–aninstanceofappliedethics–
orisitratherabroadgroupofrelatedstudiesdrawingondifferentbranchesof
knowledgeinboththehumanitiesandthe"natural”sciences.Thiswouldplace
philosophy,sociology,andlawinoneclassandmedicineandbiology,inanother.
5
C.Gilligan,InaDifferentVoice:PsychologicalTheoryandWomen’sDevelopment,Harvard
UniversityPress,Cambridge,Mass.1982.
6
SeeinthisregardtheessaysonthebeginningandendoflifecollectedinC.Faralliand
C.Cortesi(eds.),Nuovematernità:Riflessionibioetichealfemminile(Newmaternities:Bioe-
thicalreflectionsfromafemininestandpoint),Diabasis,ReggioEmilia2005,andinQuestioni
difinevita:Riflessionibioetichealfemminile(Endoflifequestions:Bioethicalreflectionsfrom
afemininestandpoint),BUP,Bologna2008.
