This paper offers a comparative analysis of four central concepts of moral theory--autonomy, moral posture, universal vs. particular, and the role of rules and principles. These concepts are compared as they function in traditional rule-and-principle ethics and the more recently explicated ethic of care. Implications of the distinctiveness of these two extant frameworks for the development of nursing ethics are set out. In conclusion, the claim is made that an inclusive approach to these different moral visions which places them in a mutually informative relationship holds the potential to enrich and enliven the developing nursing ethic.