Baier, Annette (1929- )

American moral philosopher. From a thoughtful reading of Hume, Baier derives an ethical stance that emphasizes the importance of membership within a moral community. In "What Do Women Want in a  Moral Theory?" (1983), she argues that the concept of trust provides a vital link between traditional (male) accounts of rational obligation and the equally traditional (female) "ethics of love." Her most recent publications include A Progress of Sentiments: Reflections on Hume's Treatise (1991) and Moral Prejudices: Essays on Ethics (1994).