Philosophy
Travis Larkin
Is Socrates a feminist?
In book five, Socrates radically states that women should receive the same training (geometry, gymnastics, and music) as men in society. For this reason it is the common misconception that Socrates is a feminist. He supports women and argues that they should have active roles in the republic. He is not after them to have active roles in society because he is a feminist or believes they deserve it because of centuries of uneven status in society. He sees that men and women are the same except for physical strength, and he knows that they will all fall into one of the three parts of the soul making them either spirited, rational, or appetitive, and the city will find uses for them. He recognizes and believes in biological essentialism and sees that even though women are not as strong as men they are a vital part to the city and its success.
Socrates analyzes women on the whole and sees them to be of use in a perfect society. While not as strong as men they must be allowed to participate in the Republic. He states that there is no one thing that only women or only men can do in the republic, ?there is no practice of a city?s governors which belongs to a woman because she?s a woman, or to a man because he?s a man?but in all of them woman is weaker than man.? (455 c) Socrates radically speaks against gender roles that are still relevant in today?s world. He states that no career or task is suited solely for man or for woman. In today?s world women are paid less than men, until recently were not allowed in combat, are still not drafted, and continue to fight these gender discriminations. Sounding ike a true biological essentialist, Socrates states that men are physically stronger then women, and typically this is true. I really like this point of view that no one task is a job that can only be done by one sex, i.e. men can cook and women can fight, but there are certainly tasks which are rightfully dominated by one gender. Army?s were full of men because men are proven to be stronger on the whole than women. Socrates is not a feminist but instead a biological essentialist who has believes that even though men are stronger than women, it doesn?t mean that women should be denied participation to their full potential.
Socrates is no feminist, in my opinion he is more of a realist in that he speaks the truth. Still, he was so radical for his time that his ideas can still be seen at play in issues in modern times, such as woman?s suffrage and woman getting paid less then men for the same job. I believe the quintessential example of Socrates? philosophy on women occurred during WWII. Almost every able man had been drafted into service leaving the American economy without a workforce. This is where women proved their competence and stepped into jobs thought once to be male-only professions and proceeded to run the American economy for the extent of the war. Rosy the Riveter was a popular female role model who represented a strong woman who worked the factories of America. Women also showed their competence in Socrates? ancient component of training in gymnastics by forming the Women?s Baseball League and entertaining the country. Unfortunately these women were told to go back to the kitchens and retain their position of housewife when the men returned home and the gender roles which had been broken were reformed.
Socrates was not a feminist by any means. He was a very smart and perceptive man who recognized the true abilities of women instead of seeing the stereotypical image portrayed by society. If only there were more men like Socrates we could break the gender roles that have kept woman down up until this very day.
- Socrates' Feminist Activism
Note to Rob: this paper was in fact written on time for Friday, October 14th. My blogger information was unaccessible to me and I recently took care of this technical issue. However, if my word isn't enough, email records will back me up. Now onto...
- Defining A Cause - Feminism In Plato
In book V of The Republic of Plato Socrates and Glaucon discuss the idea of women entering the society of the ideal city and what their place should be. Taking a holistic view of the entire city and its wellbeing they venture into a realm of uncertainty...
- Could Socrates Be A Feminist?
The discussion of the female sex occurs frequently in Book V of The Republic of Plato. This discussion leads the reader to a decision which is if Socrates would be considered a feminist or not. Many of his ideas may seem to be driven by a feminist perspective,...
- Socrates As A Feminist: A Qualified Statement
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- Is Socrates A Feminist?
Rebecca Bernstein October 13, 2005 Response To Book 5 Feminism revolves around true equality. True equality is the idea that every single element in the lives of men and women are equal. Feminism ignores genetic differences and their biological...
Philosophy
Socrates: Feminist?
Travis Larkin
Is Socrates a feminist?
In book five, Socrates radically states that women should receive the same training (geometry, gymnastics, and music) as men in society. For this reason it is the common misconception that Socrates is a feminist. He supports women and argues that they should have active roles in the republic. He is not after them to have active roles in society because he is a feminist or believes they deserve it because of centuries of uneven status in society. He sees that men and women are the same except for physical strength, and he knows that they will all fall into one of the three parts of the soul making them either spirited, rational, or appetitive, and the city will find uses for them. He recognizes and believes in biological essentialism and sees that even though women are not as strong as men they are a vital part to the city and its success.
Socrates analyzes women on the whole and sees them to be of use in a perfect society. While not as strong as men they must be allowed to participate in the Republic. He states that there is no one thing that only women or only men can do in the republic, ?there is no practice of a city?s governors which belongs to a woman because she?s a woman, or to a man because he?s a man?but in all of them woman is weaker than man.? (455 c) Socrates radically speaks against gender roles that are still relevant in today?s world. He states that no career or task is suited solely for man or for woman. In today?s world women are paid less than men, until recently were not allowed in combat, are still not drafted, and continue to fight these gender discriminations. Sounding ike a true biological essentialist, Socrates states that men are physically stronger then women, and typically this is true. I really like this point of view that no one task is a job that can only be done by one sex, i.e. men can cook and women can fight, but there are certainly tasks which are rightfully dominated by one gender. Army?s were full of men because men are proven to be stronger on the whole than women. Socrates is not a feminist but instead a biological essentialist who has believes that even though men are stronger than women, it doesn?t mean that women should be denied participation to their full potential.
Socrates is no feminist, in my opinion he is more of a realist in that he speaks the truth. Still, he was so radical for his time that his ideas can still be seen at play in issues in modern times, such as woman?s suffrage and woman getting paid less then men for the same job. I believe the quintessential example of Socrates? philosophy on women occurred during WWII. Almost every able man had been drafted into service leaving the American economy without a workforce. This is where women proved their competence and stepped into jobs thought once to be male-only professions and proceeded to run the American economy for the extent of the war. Rosy the Riveter was a popular female role model who represented a strong woman who worked the factories of America. Women also showed their competence in Socrates? ancient component of training in gymnastics by forming the Women?s Baseball League and entertaining the country. Unfortunately these women were told to go back to the kitchens and retain their position of housewife when the men returned home and the gender roles which had been broken were reformed.
Socrates was not a feminist by any means. He was a very smart and perceptive man who recognized the true abilities of women instead of seeing the stereotypical image portrayed by society. If only there were more men like Socrates we could break the gender roles that have kept woman down up until this very day.
- Socrates' Feminist Activism
Note to Rob: this paper was in fact written on time for Friday, October 14th. My blogger information was unaccessible to me and I recently took care of this technical issue. However, if my word isn't enough, email records will back me up. Now onto...
- Defining A Cause - Feminism In Plato
In book V of The Republic of Plato Socrates and Glaucon discuss the idea of women entering the society of the ideal city and what their place should be. Taking a holistic view of the entire city and its wellbeing they venture into a realm of uncertainty...
- Could Socrates Be A Feminist?
The discussion of the female sex occurs frequently in Book V of The Republic of Plato. This discussion leads the reader to a decision which is if Socrates would be considered a feminist or not. Many of his ideas may seem to be driven by a feminist perspective,...
- Socrates As A Feminist: A Qualified Statement
Plato?s vision of a society is one that promoted equality in the sense that any human had an equal potential to advance to their proper place in society. One who was sufficiently balanced and learned could become a guardian, one who was not worthy of...
- Is Socrates A Feminist?
Rebecca Bernstein October 13, 2005 Response To Book 5 Feminism revolves around true equality. True equality is the idea that every single element in the lives of men and women are equal. Feminism ignores genetic differences and their biological...