1935 – 2011
Sara Ruddick (1935–2011) was an American feminist philosopher best known for developing the concept of 'maternal thinking' — a form of practical reasoning she argued emerges from the sustained work of caring for children. Her influential book *Maternal Thinking: Toward a Politics of Peace* (1989) connected care ethics, feminist theory, and anti-war activism. She argued that women's lived experiences, particularly caregiving labor, constitute a legitimate and neglected source of philosophical knowledge.
Developed 'maternal thinking' as a distinct epistemological and ethical framework grounded in caregiving practice
Authored Maternal Thinking: Toward a Politics of Peace (1989), a foundational text in feminist ethics
Argued that women's practical knowledge from caregiving deserves serious philosophical attention
Connected feminist care ethics to pacifism and anti-war political theory
Co-edited Women and Moral Theory (1987) with Eva Feder Kittay, shaping the feminist ethics canon