Women Want in a Moral Theory, Suggests

¶ … Women Want in a Moral Theory," suggests a reevaluation of traditional moral theories that were formulated primarily by male philosophers. Baier advocates a moral theory based on trust and cooperation, rather than on coercion. According to the author, "men's theories of obligation need supplementation to have much chance of integrity and coherence." The supplementation she posits is the concept of trust. Trust, Baier believes, is central to any comprehensive moral theory. It bridges the gap between male theories of coercive morality and female love-based morality. Obligation and coercion should be mainly used as crutches, in instances where mutual trust or cooperation are impossible.

Baier's assumption that male theorists overemphasize the relevance of moral coercion is correct. The world is filled with "thou shalts" and other obligatory concepts of morality. This prevents the individual from making sound moral judgments based on intuitive or instinctual knowledge. Moreover, moral obligation forces the individual to place trust in authorities that might not be valid. Moral obligation -- the enforcement of proscribed moral laws -- entails a loss of liberty.

Liberty, however, is not Baier's central issue or the primary problem she finds in traditional, male-created moral theories. Rather, Baier notices that men and women approach morality differently: men rely more on a hierarchical structure to enforce moral laws, while women rely more on love and caring. Baier does not suggest abandoning male theories altogether, but instead prefers to find a common ground that is acceptable and relevant for all. This common ground lies in the concept of "appropriate trust," which Baier finds is "oddly neglected in moral theory." Moral trust "mediates between reason and feeling," which is the key to a universal moral theory. A moral theory based on reasonable trust encompasses both the rational approach of moral obligation and the more emotional approaches to morality. Thus, Baier's arguments are sound and balanced, providing an acceptable moral theory that removes some basic philosophical conundrums. Specifically, many philosophers propose morality as a set of obligations that will lead to mutually beneficial relationships, but often it is difficult to glean emotionally relevant reasons for obeying these rules. The moral rules that are prescribed are easy to comprehend, such as the obligation to fulfill a promise. However, morality can and should arise naturally from the instinct to love and trust other human beings.

Ironically, a coercive theory of morality is based on trust. This trust is placed in the authoritative institutions that prescribe the rules. Baier suggests that this power over other people needs justification for it to be valid. We need to know that these moral authorities truly have our best interest in mind, or if self-interest is the only motivating factor for a set of moral obligations. Save for exceptional situations in which "normally virtuous dispositions may be insufficient to motivate the conduct" of people, morality need not arise from a looming authoritative body.