Nineteenth-Century Women Philosophers in Britain and America

This book highlights the contributions of forgotten women philosophers in the nineteenth century who addressed social concerns and advocated for women's rights and abolitionism. It explores their ideas on life, collaboration, morality, moral agency, and the conditions for a flourishing life. The book reveals an important chapter in the history of women philosophers, showcasing their diversity and intellectual vitality.

Format: Hardback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 19 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book is a groundbreaking exploration of the lives and works of forgotten women philosophers from the nineteenth century who have been unjustly excluded from the philosophical canon and overlooked in narratives about the history of philosophy. During this period, women often engaged in philosophical discourse in public settings, addressing practical issues of social concern and using philosophy to create a better world. The book highlights some of the significant interventions made by women against slavery, for women's rights, and on morality, moral agency, and the conditions of a flourishing life.

The chapters in this book cover a wide range of topics and perspectives. Mary Shepherd's idea of life is explored, as well as the collaborative authorships and feminist perspectives of Anna Doyle Wheeler and Harriet Taylor Mill. The roles of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott in the American women's rights movement are examined, as well as the influence of classical German philosophy on Lydia Maria Child's abolitionism. George Eliot's understanding of agency is discussed, as well as the views of agency and resistance developed by Harriet Tubman and Elizabeth within the abolitionist tradition. Annie Besant's search for a metaphysical basis for ethics, which she ultimately found in Hinduism, is explored, as well as E.E. Constance Jones' discussion of the dualism of practical reason. Marietta Kies' exploration of altruism and positive rights is discussed, as well as Anna Julia Cooper's black feminist conception of the right to growth.

By unearthing this important and neglected chapter in the history of women philosophers, the book showcases the diversity and vitality of nineteenth-century women's intellectual lives. It provides valuable insights into the contributions made by these women to the field of philosophy and sheds light on the ongoing struggle for gender equality in academic and intellectual circles.

Nineteenth-Century Women Philosophers in Britain and America will be of great interest to students and researchers in Philosophy, Women's Studies, and the politics of gender at the heart of British and American societies. It offers a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the lives and works of these forgotten women philosophers, making it an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand the rich tapestry of nineteenth-century intellectual thought.

Weight: 517g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032521725