What is Philosophy?

• What is Philosophy?
• Some Philosophical Problems
• The first law of philosophy
• Women in Philosophy: A Dialogue
• Some introductions to Philosophy

Women in Philosophy: A Dialogue

I see two of the biggest course books on A211 Philosophy and the Human Situation, have been written by women. Is that usual?

Fairly standard: women are pretty high profile in philosophy.

I thought it was more of a man’s subject really.

Really? You think men are more interested than women in ethics and aesthetics and the mind and God and - well, and the human situation?

Obviously not. But aren’t all the Great Dead Philosophers male? (And white?)

You are right that all the famous ones are - like all the Great Dead Composers - but …

But things have changed?

Yes. And in fact there’s some interesting research going on unearthing the philosophical writings of women in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Are they as good as the men?

We don’t know yet. But the modern ones certainly are.

They must be very clever. Do female OU students do as well as male ones on philosophy courses?

A bit better actually - not a lot but a significant bit. In fact, the four top distinctions on A211 in 1999 were all awarded to women.

Oh. Maybe it’s only women with a masculine cast of mind who are good at it.

Perhaps. But maybe it’s only men with a feminine cast of mind who are.

That sounds like a philosopher’s remark.

Well spotted.

Rosalind Hursthouse