Abstract

My humanity is fractured if I neglect to care for vulnerable others. Indeed, if we grasp Virginia Held’s care ethics, we acknowledge that all humans are interdependent and that the vulnerable among us deserve particularly conscientious consideration—some level of care. Accordingly, I agree with Rosemarie Tong when she proposes that those who dodge caring roles marginalize themselves from society. This marginalization can occur if I squirm out of attending to my ailing family members’ needs, or if I avoid (employment or volunteer) opportunities to care for those other than my family. It can also occur if I draw an arbitrary dichotomy between “work” and care, and devalue those in caring roles. Indeed, the United ..