A Feminist Ethic That Binds us to Mother Earth

The scholarly literature is replete with theories and philosophical perspectives on feminist ethics, including feminist ethics founded in ecology or environmentalism. This essay contributes to the ongoing discussion about what constitutes a feminist ethic. My purpose in this paper is to endorse the position that any feminist ethic is necessarily an ecofeminist ethic, one that is tied to the sustainability of the planet. Feminist scholars and philosophers have paid heed to the need for ethics and practices that tie humanity to the Earth, not as separate beings, but as part of the Earth community. Nel Noddings’ proposed ethic of caring is a central theme in this discussion. Noddings’ ideas about a caring ethic are tied to the projects of feminist philosophers and activists who endorse the perspectives known as ecological feminism and ecofeminism, weaving the perspectives into a feminist ethic of care that binds humanity to Mother Earth.