Female Philosophy?

Anything to do with gender and the status of women and men.

Moderators: AMod, iMod

Nick_A
Posts: 6208
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:23 am

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Nick_A »

Often female philosophy and female philosophers are identified with concern for women's rights, gender rights, and abortion rights. I remember once when I was in a Starbucks as part of a local chess club. No tournaments but just friendly games with all the associated friendly BS. Anyhow, there was one young feminist who hung out there who was a college student, Naturally she growled at my ideas but we were friendly. One night she came into Starbucks very angry. She told me she had to do a paper on a choice of philosophers - all men. She asked me where the women were. I said that it was the norm but there are exceptions. I told her to go to her prof and ask if it were OK to do a paper on Simone Weil. The prof agreed. I helped her to understand some basic ideas and she got an A. The prof wrote "fine job." Nothing about gender rights, women's rights, or abortion rights, but only the ideas now spoken of along with Kierkegaard. I felt good helping her to realize that women do not have to be so narrow minded and identified with "female philosophy." They are capable of profound thought.
User avatar
Lacewing
Posts: 6604
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2015 2:25 am

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Lacewing »

Nick_A wrote:I felt good helping her to realize that women... are capable of profound thought.
And you are clearly such an idiot to say such a thing.
User avatar
Harbal
Posts: 9563
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2013 10:03 pm
Location: Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Harbal »

Nick_A wrote:I told her to go to her prof and ask if it were OK to do a paper on Simone Weil.
This is beginning to look like obsession.
Dalek Prime
Posts: 4922
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2015 4:48 am
Location: Living in a tree with Polly.

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Dalek Prime »

Harbal wrote:
Nick_A wrote:I told her to go to her prof and ask if it were OK to do a paper on Simone Weil.
This is beginning to look like obsession.
I think the problem becomes apparent when one goes into a Starbucks for chess... Fucking millenials...
Skip
Posts: 2820
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:34 pm

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Skip »

Bill Wiltrack - - This trick has worked well for me and actually explains a lot to me so that I better understand my fellow respected members here.
It also goes some way toward explaining my profound dysunderstanding of the same exalted bunch.
User avatar
Harbal
Posts: 9563
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2013 10:03 pm
Location: Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Harbal »

Bill Wiltrack wrote:.
I see myself as a dominating male,
.
The frustration must be driving you crazy.
Nick_A
Posts: 6208
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:23 am

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Nick_A »

D P wrote:
I think the problem becomes apparent when one goes into a Starbucks for chess... Fucking millenials..
As i said, no tournaments just players telling you where to stick your bishop and others threatening to give you a knight to remember. Of course good chess will include a deep struggle of opinions and the value is in the position. It is the same with fucking millenials. Without a good quality behind in the right position there isn't that much to be gained.
Nick_A
Posts: 6208
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:23 am

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Nick_A »

Lacewing wrote: Nick_A wrote:
I felt good helping her to realize that women... are capable of profound thought.

And you are clearly such an idiot to say such a thing.
You don't appreciate simple concern unless it is approved by "experts."

Here is a college student who felt defensive about the lack of women in a philosophy course. I introduced her to a woman who had the freedom and intelligence she admired who Albert Camus called the greatest mind of our time. That meant something to my feminist friend. She wanted to understand. You would prefer her being denied knowledge. She was touched. You would prefer to deny her the experience. Yes, regardless of popular opinion a woman of philosophy can be concerned with more than gender rights, women's rights, and abortion rights and open to the philosophical question of the spiritual and societal value of voluntary human obligations.
User avatar
Lacewing
Posts: 6604
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2015 2:25 am

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Lacewing »

Nick_A wrote:I felt good helping her to realize that women... are capable of profound thought.
Lacewing wrote:And you are clearly such an idiot to say such a thing.
Nick_A wrote:You don't appreciate simple concern unless it is approved by "experts."
What does your statement have to do with what I said? The fact that you think it's eye-opening to realize that women can have profound thought (beyond "women's stuff") shows how really unaware you are of what WOMEN are capable of. My comment isn't about your "concern"... it's about your ignorance.
Nick_A wrote:You would prefer her being denied knowledge.
See, here you go making up your crazy crap. Why must you project fantasy onto other people so that you can then argue with them and be right? Can't you stay focused on what is actually being said? Why are you turning it into something else? Is your head so loud that you can't receive any other signals?
Nick_A wrote:You would prefer to deny her the experience.
And yet more of it!!! Like a firehose of projections for you to fight against. Are you having fun?
Nick_A
Posts: 6208
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:23 am

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Nick_A »

Lacewing wrote: Nick_A wrote:You don't appreciate simple concern unless it is approved by "experts."

What does your statement have to do with what I said? The fact that you think it's eye-opening to realize that women can have profound thought (beyond "women's stuff") shows how really unaware you are of what WOMEN are capable of. My comment isn't about your "concern"... it's about your ignorance.
Yes it was eye opening. Debs was my friendly antagonist. That little fire plug with feet gave the impression of a toughie. But she really was a nice sensitive person lacking self esteem. So I’d let her feel good growling at me. She needed to growl and I understood why. I knew why she felt disappointed when it appeared that women were not respected in Philosophy. So I introduced her to Simone who was and actually towered above me in both intellectual and emotional intelligence. She wrote her essay, got an A, and felt good that a woman was accepted in her philosophy class. So what I did proves my idiocy. There's gotta be something in the water.

The alternative was to avoid her concern and encourage her lack of self esteem. Hit em while they’re down. That’s sounds like something that would happen on this site
Skip
Posts: 2820
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:34 pm

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Skip »

What a prince!
And we just don't appreciate him.
Tut-tut.
User avatar
Greta
Posts: 4389
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2015 8:10 am

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Greta »

Nick_A wrote:Yes it was eye opening. Debs was my friendly antagonist. That little fire plug with feet gave the impression of a toughie. But she really was a nice sensitive person lacking self esteem. So I’d let her feel good growling at me. She needed to growl and I understood why.
Was Deb your little doggie? A few kind words and a pat on the head and she'll settle down, ready for training. That usually works with my little befooted fire plug (kelpie/Staffy cross).
marjoram_blues
Posts: 1629
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 12:50 pm

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by marjoram_blues »

Skip wrote:Aw, go on! The world can always use a little mutual appreciation.

May I add? We can't make an exhaustive statistical comparison on this board, since we don't know everyone's genetic, assigned or chosen gender, but I'd like to point out the vast chasm of intellectual inequality between the male and female posters heretofore mentioned.

(PS I never claimed to be industrious!)
The 'list' of names you picked out earlier was in response to the line:
'Can you agree? in sum: Women are more comfortable using religious terminology when talking about alternative existences; like Heaven, than are men'.

The person who created the OP said the 'point was only to do with discussions concerning philosophy or religion with the common people' and 'most women have a hard time expressing spiritual concepts out of parameters set by their church congregation'. According to this poster, 'women's philosophy is expressed in terms of...their belief system...and are limited in their expression...'

So, first off - what is meant by 'the common people' - everyone in the world? How many of them even bother to discuss matters of philosophy. Even churchgoers who, yes might consist mainly of women with a male minister- how often will they discuss 'spiritual concepts' with or without congregation parameters. Such discussion is more likely to be held by academic theists - who, from what I gather, seem more likely to be males.
So what? Certain disciplines/work experience might be more attractive to either males or females. That tells us nothing about how limited either might be in their expression of their own views or belief systems.

Taking this forum as a representative of 'the common people' would be a mistake - given the exceptional individuals who post in this 'congregation'.
And that is not to say that they can't also be as 'common as muck' !
So, this short list that Skip produced included the standout posters who express themselves, and their beliefs, extremely well, in strong and colourful language. How vast the chasm of intellectual inequality between them is not the point, even if it could be properly measured. It is about the 'comfort level' using 'religious terminology when talking about alternative existences'.

As far as I can tell, both sets are completely comfortable in any religious or philosophical discussion. And that tells us absolutely nothing about the wider world out there...

PS Yup, you never claimed to be industrious,but this form of laziness was I think deliberate. Quite the hook 8)
For all I know, Skip, you were the originator of the thread and pretty damned busy!
Mortalsfool
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2016 10:34 pm

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Mortalsfool »

Hey Guys,
I knew when I made the original post that hackles would be raised by some of you. I also know that it is a fair assumption not to include you 'Ladies' that post in this forum. Without question 'you' are not representative of the 'common mentality' of the masses. If this were not true, we, meaning all of us with philosophical interest, would be out in the 'real world' talking live to others of the same interests. Unfortunately, the audience we have to choose from, would rather be talking about the Kardashians or their butts, or what their neighbours have or did.

My personal view of womanhood coincides with what I take from the greeting Namaste that was or is, popular in S.India. When I found out that God was inside me, he was all man, I've never heard a female inner-voice, then I learned that there was a "Mrs God" in every woman, and She loves me! and I love Her back; all of you! So when I use or think of the greeting "Namaste", I know that it is my personal God of equality that salutes the God in you.

However, I will defend my original position on female philosophers; 'they' are far and few between; and I will concede that 'almost the same can be said of men.

jack
Skip
Posts: 2820
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:34 pm

Re: Female Philosophy?

Post by Skip »

marjoram_blues wrote: The 'list' of names you picked out earlier was in response to the line:
'Can you agree? in sum: Women are more comfortable using religious terminology when talking about alternative existences; like Heaven, than are men'.
Yes. That's why I picked the self-designated males who talk about nothing but religion, in nothing but religious terminology, in contrast to self-designated females who can discuss all manner of philosophical and scientific concepts and do so in a general language.
It was meant to be brief, pointed and even, if you like, glib.
I was ticked off with the OP; not inclined to take it seriously.

But now that we're here.
Nobody has any frickin idea how many female philosophers there are and have been in the world. Only a few ever fought their way to prominence... starting with the fact that rare4ly and in very few societies have girls been educated; in a large portion of the world, girls are still not allowed to go to school, have access to books or speak up - let alone get anything published. We have no idea how many male philosophers and scholars were really fronting for female thinkers and how many appropriated the ideas of their wives and sisters.
I have a notion, though, from the intelligent women of my acquaintance, that few would be interested in philosophy as a full-time occupation, simply because so much of philosophy is self-important, verbose speculative nonsense. However, now that they can, a great many women are making major contributions to all of the sciences - each, moreover, in its own language - because that's tangible and durable knowledge.

(edited for grammar - I was in a hurry this morning
Last edited by Skip on Mon Jul 04, 2016 10:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Post Reply