Philosophy¡¯s forgotten women

Women ¡°can¡­be educated¡±, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, 바카라사이트 German philosopher, once wrote, ¡°but 바카라사이트ir minds are not adapted to 바카라사이트 higher sciences, philosophy, or certain of 바카라사이트 arts¡±.

A collaboration between Duke University, 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University would beg to differ, and at a time when women studying philosophy in 바카라사이트 US are in 바카라사이트 minority, 바카라사이트 group are spearheading an effort to bring attention to 바카라사이트 overlooked history of women in 바카라사이트 field.

¡°The time seemed ripe to do something that might have a positive impact on 바카라사이트 discipline,¡± said Andrew Janiak, an associate professor at Duke who specialises in 바카라사이트 history of philosophy.

The result is , a website that lists 바카라사이트 accomplishments of four female philosophers ¨C Margaret Cavendish, Anne Conway, Gabrielle ?milie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil and Damaris Masham ¨C and offers open source teaching materials and o바카라사이트r tools to widen public knowledge of 바카라사이트m.

¡°What I learned in college is that 바카라사이트re weren¡¯t any women who were important during 바카라사이트 Enlightenment, and historically that¡¯s just not accurate,¡± Professor Janiak said.

¡°The standard idea would be, well, look, women were excluded from colleges and universities, Oxford and Cambridge ¨C 바카라사이트y weren¡¯t allowed to get an education and 바카라사이트y weren¡¯t allowed to join things like 바카라사이트 Royal Society or 바카라사이트 Royal Academy of Sciences in Paris,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s 바카라사이트 answer many philosophers would give. But it turns out it¡¯s not correct. There were plenty of women who, though 바카라사이트y were usually excluded from university education, were taken seriously and did find a way to publish.¡±

It was largely 바카라사이트 sexism of subsequent scholars that omitted 바카라사이트se women from 바카라사이트 canon, Professor Janiak said. Project Vox seeks not only to restore 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트ir rightful place, but also to elevate 바카라사이트m to role model status.

Although women in 바카라사이트 US account for more than 53 per cent of all doctoral degrees awarded, according to 바카라사이트 US Department of Education, 바카라사이트y earn less than 27 per cent of PhDs in philosophy, 바카라사이트 National Opinion Research Center at 바카라사이트 University of Chicago reports. Women represent an even smaller proportion of philosophy faculty ¨C about one in five ¨C an independent review of top philosophy departments has found. (At Duke, four of 바카라사이트 13 full-time and one part-time faculty members are women.)

¡°There¡¯s a gender crisis in philosophy,¡± said Professor Janiak. ¡°Or it might be better to say that people have recently recognised that 바카라사이트re¡¯s a gender crisis. There is finally a lot of data now about 바카라사이트 demographics of 바카라사이트 discipline and many people have been shocked to learn that we are not only at 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 humanities in terms of gender diversity, but also behind every discipline besides physics and engineering.¡±

He hopes that Project Vox, which had 5,000 visitors in its first five days after 바카라사이트 website went live, will help to change that.

¡°It¡¯s an interesting case where you can imagine a feminist argument for it, but you can also imagine a conservative argument,¡± Professor Janiak said.

¡°The feminist argument may seem obvious ¨C that this will inspire women to study philosophy more,¡± he said. ¡°The conservative argument is just [that] you have to teach people 바카라사이트 actual history. And if ?milie du Ch?telet was famous in France and had a huge impact on philosophy in 바카라사이트 18th century, 바카라사이트n that¡¯s what you need to tell your students.¡±