Spencer Wood
Education is for the willing.
I actually talked about this in my blog post...last year...twice.
One thing I did not anticipate when opening Plato's Republic was feminism. And the way that Socrates explains it to the men around him is incredible. First, he starts with just a simple hypothetical situation and giving a caveat saying that they could decide later if it 'seems appropriate.' and then brings in an example that they would agree with saying that they don't separate male and female dogs on hunts or shepherding the fields. And the men said 'there should be no differentiation.' Now that Socrates has an opening, he used the foot in the door technique to bring in his main point. He says, '...can one get any animal to perform the same functions as another without giving the same guidance and training? Then if women are to do the same things as men, we must also teach them the same things. ... it follows that we must teach the women [music and gymnastics], as well as learning the practice and art of war.'
Education is for the willing.
I actually talked about this in my blog post...last year...twice.
One thing I did not anticipate when opening Plato's Republic was feminism. And the way that Socrates explains it to the men around him is incredible. First, he starts with just a simple hypothetical situation and giving a caveat saying that they could decide later if it 'seems appropriate.' and then brings in an example that they would agree with saying that they don't separate male and female dogs on hunts or shepherding the fields. And the men said 'there should be no differentiation.' Now that Socrates has an opening, he used the foot in the door technique to bring in his main point. He says, '...can one get any animal to perform the same functions as another without giving the same guidance and training? Then if women are to do the same things as men, we must also teach them the same things. ... it follows that we must teach the women [music and gymnastics], as well as learning the practice and art of war.'
Also, when Wollstonecraft made her claim that no writer had portrayed women in society positively, I really think she overlooked Plato and his republic. I feel like Plato really did well in creating gender equality within his republic. There may have been other inequalities, granted. But men and women, in the same jobs, were seen as equal in the republic.
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