The place of women philosophers in history

I recently realized something: I had not read a single female philosopher throughout my university career.. The fact made me interested in searching for and vindicating women philosophers in history; I was convinced that there were several and with important contributions to the discipline.

I wasn’t wrong. So, what I propose is that we look together in this article for those women philosophers who are somehow hidden today. In our purpose, we will start from ancient times, reaching up to the present day..

So, what I propose to you is an inhospitable and interesting journey…

Women philosophers in ancient times

The great philosophical questions about the origin, composition and essence of the world are found in this period. We know its most important representatives: Plato, Aristotle, Parmenides, Pythagoras, among others.

However, little is known about the women philosophers who reflected on the great existential themes. In the following sections we will get to know them.

Theanus of Croton

This philosopher belonged to the school founded by Pythagoras. Furthermore, she was the wife of the philosopher, and upon her death he would remain in charge. She was born approximately 550 BC in southern Italy, specifically in Crotone.

Teano became interested in numbers and is considered the first mathematician in history. In this field he is credited with creating the concept of the golden ratio., which is closely related to his philosophical thought.

The golden ratio is an ideal relationship or harmony in the field of aesthetics, and therefore it is valued as a measure of beauty. It is found in many objects, forms of nature and in humans.

In relation to his philosophical thinking, the golden ratio is also transferred to his way of seeing the world. That is, Theano believed that the universe was governed by a harmony and order that could not be disturbed since any disturbance could alter the order of the world. He also believed that the soul was immortal (like Plato) and that the body was its prison.

In the academy of Pythagoras, she transferred to her students the values ​​that for her were prototypically feminine. For Teano, women had to be virtuous and honest, while also having to shoulder the domestic tasks.

He also defended marriage between a man and a woman. Although there is no treaty that has been preserved over time, Theano of Croton’s contribution to the field of mathematics and his insertion into philosophical thought make his figure an outstanding example.

Aspasia

Born in 460 BC in Miletus, she was a courtesan with great political influence. At that time these ladies-in-waiting were called heteras and they enjoyed intellectual recognition. He imparted his wisdom in the streets and public spaces. He thought that philosophy should not be taught in academies.

For this philosophy, like that of Socrates, he dialogue was basic. Furthermore, Aspasia was the great philosopher’s oratory teacher, a field in which she was an expert. Also referred to as the art of speaking eloquently, she had generated a series of rules to make public speeches effective, attractive and convincing.

The importance of Aspasia and her oratory skills were key in her time. Athens at that time was experiencing its political and cultural splendor, so developing techniques for effective and persuasive speech was valuable. In addition, her political participation along with her lover, her Pericles, gave her an intellectual recognition that was forbidden to most women.

Diotima

He lived in 400 BC. C in Mantinea and we know her through Feast of Plato, where it is named by Socrates. She is considered the teacher of two of the most influential philosophers in history.

His reflections revolve around love and It is believed that it was Diotima who gave rise to the concept of platonic love, which is the main theme of one of Plato’s most popular works The banquet. In this work, the philosopher is described as a wise and virtuous woman who teaches Socrates about the mysteries of love and spirituality.

Diotima He thought that love creates a path to achieve immortality. This is because loved things and people last in memory. Therefore, only the object of love can last over time.

Although it is disputed whether Diotima really existed or not, being named in one of Plato’s most influential and studied works has motivated various investigations to be launched about her.

Fintis

She was one of the first philosophers to reflect on equality between men and women.. Born around 400 BC. C, she considered that both sexes can and should philosophize, at a time when this activity was exclusive to men.

Despite this and according to the time, He still had conservative thoughts about women. She considered that she should practice self-control and that her role was to have children. Likewise, the privileged virtue of the female gender was moderation, as well as playing the role of her wife.

Likewise, it cannot be overlooked that Fintis was the first philosopher to put on the table a topic that until now had not been discussed or reflected on: the equality between men and women as thinking beings.

Hypatia

He was a representative of Neoplatonism, that is, the current that revives Platonic ideas long after Plato’s death. He taught philosophy, geometry, astronomy and mathematics at the University of Alexandria.

Indirect sources provided by Socrates the Scholasticus and Philostorgius say that it was a renowned professor who gave public lessons on Plato and Aristotle. They considered her a very enlightened philosopher for the time, since she was also a woman of science. Despite this, she was encouraged to investigate beyond herself, reaching extremely deep reflections.

I believed that There was a world of things to which we do not have accesswhich are beyond the world we see and feel. Only through reflection We can see the truth that is hidden behind everyday life and, thus, we can free ourselves from the chains imposed by the sensible world.

Sadly She is known for the circumstances surrounding her tragic death.. Hypatia was cruelly murdered by a horde of Christians, who not only shot her but also dismembered her.

Women philosophers in the history of the Middle Ages

During this time in history, thought revolved around the interpretations that philosophy had to offer about the Christian religion. Therefore, the famous relationship between faith and reason or between God and reason occurs.

In the early Middle Ages, a group of women thinkers called mystical They sought a direct encounter with God and prioritized him over the human being..

Hildegard Von Bingen

This German mystic born in the year 1098 He was an important figure in the religious and cultural life of his time. In this sense, he had a holistic and symbolic vision of the universe since he considered that there is a relationship between everyone and everything because human beings are part of the world and this, in turn, belongs to the creative work of God

Hildegard thought about importance of knowledge and education for women. He also advocated for gender equality in the church and society. In this sense, she is considered a philosopher who had proto-feminist thoughts in line with and at the same time surpassing her own time.

Marguerite Porete

He was born in France, in 1255. He wrote a single article entitled The mirror of simple souls, with which he earned repudiation from the church, who in 1310 burned at the stake for heresy.

In her treatise, Marguerite describes how the soul or spirit can be freed. Her response was one that earned her the hatred of the church because For the liberation of the soul it was necessary to put aside religious mandates and norms. Despite this, she does not deny God, she is not an atheist. What she was looking for was a direct encounter with him and without intermediaries.

In his thinking there is a questioning Christianity, so it was revolutionary for a time when the dominant religion was not questioned.

Catherine of Siena

She lived in Siena between the years 1347 and 1380. She was a influential figure in politics and religion of his time since he participated in crusades, in addition to promoting the union of the Catholic Church.

Regarding his philosophy, he focused on the human being, his relationship with others and God.. So much so that in a time when it was God who decided good and evil, Catherine believes that people had the freedom to choose to act correctly or incorrectly. To give it a religious nuance, she thought that it was God who had given humans that freedom of choice.

Christine de Pizan

He was born in Venice in the year 1365 and She was the first woman to make writing her profession.. Among his major philosophical works, the most important of his was The city of ladies written in 1404. In it he describes the construction of an ideal state, a city of women where good reigns.

To do this, he personifies Reason, Righteousness and Justice with three ladies. They will be responsible for ensuring that these virtues reign in the ideal city. In this utopia, justice, the common good and respect for others will be the most important.

The philosopher also supports the education and economic independence of women.

Christine de Pizan is a important figure in the history of feminism as she was an active defender of women’s rights and gender equality at a time when these issues were not under discussion.

Women philosophers in the history of modernity

During this time in history the center was on the reason or intellect of the human being. It was the deployment of great scientific developments and the father of modern philosophy: René Descartes. Even so, there were female representatives of the period.

Margaret Cavendish

Duchess of Newcastle born in 1623, she was one of the first thinkers who reflected on ecology. He said that human beings did not have any rights over nature, so he cannot dominate it as he pleases. A thinker who anticipated contemporary times where these topics are the main axis of philosophical reflections.

Its importance in 17th century English society lies in the fact that She was the first author to vindicate the position of women in her country. Furthermore, he questioned the patriarchal customs of domestic life

She was a scientific woman and among her many achievements is having accessed to the Royal Society of…