Feminist Philosophy

In this book, Janet Kourany offers an antidote to the pervasive and pernicious strains in Western philosophy that discount women. Most areas of Western philosophy tend not only to ignore women, but also to perpetuate long-standing antifeminine biases of the society as a whole. It does not have to be this way. Rather than be part of the problem, philosophy can be a powerful force for much needed social change. In this collection of essays by some of the most noted feminist philosophers, Kourany showcases ideas on the newest work of Western philosophy that is benefiting women as well as men. Included here are articles by Eileen O'Neill, Louise Antony, Virginia Held, Susan Okin, Carolyn Korsmeyer, Nancy Frankenberry, Lorraine Code, Janet Kourany, Andrea Nye, and Susan Bordo, all of whom show further directions in which philosophy ought to proceed.This book demonstrates that feminist philosophy is not a separate area of philosophy that can safely be ignored by philosophers not "in" it. Rather, it relates to at least most of the major areas of philosophy, and its gains will stand to benefit all philosophers, no matter what their field.

In this second edition of her 1989 survey on feminist theory, Rosemarie Tong provides a more comprehensive & substantially redrawn map of twentieth-century feminist thinking. Besides providing up-to-date coverage of liberal, radical (libertarian & cultural), & Marxist-socialist schools of feminism, she covers psychoanalytic, existentialist, & postmodern feminism. All the chapters have been rethought & new chapters on ecofeminism & multicultural & global feminism have been added. Contents: Introduction. Liberal Feminism. Radical Feminism: Libertarian & Cultural Perspectives. Marxist-Socialist Feminism. Psychoanalytic & Gender Feminism. Existentialist Feminism. Postmodern Feminism. Multicultural & Global Feminism. Ecofeminism. Conclusion.

This book presents the current feminist critique of science & the philosophy of science in such a way that students of philosophy of science, philosophers, feminist theorists, & scientists will find the material accessible & intellectually rigorous. Contemporary feminist debate, as well as the debate brought on by the radical critics of science, assumes-incorrectly-that certain movements in philosophy of science & science-driven theory are understood in their dynamics as well as in their details. All too often, labels such as "Kuhnian" or "positivistic" are taken for granted, & much of the contemporary post-modern or post-structuralist feminist theory that sets out to criticize science does little to alleviate the reader's lack of knowledge with regard to such movements. Unlike other texts, Philosophies of Science: Feminist Theories provides a student-oriented framework so that, for example, positivism is given a thorough grounding before the feminist critique of such epistemological theory is given. Other movements discussed include the Kuhnian turn, sociology of science, & the radical critique of science. Feminist theory & critique are interwoven throughout, with one chapter devoted to feminist thought, which includes the work of such thinkers as Longino, Hararway, Hubbard, Nelson, Harding, & Keller. Contents: Introduction. A Historical Overview of Positivism. A Look at Positivism Continued. Kuhnian & Like Responses. Philosophy of Science & Sociology of Science. Feminist Philosophy of Science. Radical Critiques of Science. Naturalized Epistemology as the Basis for a New Philosophy of Scientific Confirmation. Conclusion.

"(P)rovides lucid, incisive, fully accessible feminist discussions of key figures in the history of Western philosophy. Indispensable for introducing undergraduates to gender issues in the history of philosophy". -- Susan Bordo

For over twenty years Nancy Hartsock has been a powerful voice in the effort to forge a feminism sophisticated & strong enough to make a difference in the real world of powerful political & economic forces. This volume collects her most important writings, offering her current thinking about this period in the development of feminist political economy & presenting an important new paper, "The Feminist Standpoint Revisited."