Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Women was written for the purpose of enlightening society that women's oppression, very common throughout households and government during this time, was what affected their education for the worse. Reading through the first few chapters, I could see a little bit of Kant in Wollstonecraft. Both wrote on the restrictions of education, but while Kant centered on a person's own restriction of their self, Wollstonecraft centered on the restrictions made by others, which are even harder to push through. She reasoned that education was a right to everyone, not just men, and gave three assumptions, three defenses, why it was a right (probably my favorite part of the assignment).
#1 Our reasoning is what we puts us above everything else. It is God's way of singling us out from the beasts of the world and one of the things that makes us made in the image of Him. To not make the most out of our reasoning would do an injustice to our Creator. We have no right to restrict God's creation just like men have no right to restrict women's education.
#2 Virtue is what makes a human better than another. In Wollstonecraft's case, 'better' does not mean important or with a purpose. That would be rather rude to say in the author's case. Instead, it means to be more morally excellent. Just like with any other thing in life, human virtue comes in different levels and degrees. While reasoning is what sets us apart from all the rest of creation, virtue, on the other hand, is what sets us apart from each other. Wollstonecraft wanted to include virtue on her list of defenses because, in order to be morally virtuous, a woman needs to be also educated. No one can learn ethics unless they are taught them.
#3 God allows us temptations so that by struggling against them, we may gain knowledge. In this, Wollstonecraft drops her most powerful argument, at least in my opinion. If God teaches and trains both men and women the same, why should humans decide there is a difference between educating the two? God loves us equally. So should we.
By the way, I commented on blogs by Jacob Clabo and Abbie Hedden.
#1 Our reasoning is what we puts us above everything else. It is God's way of singling us out from the beasts of the world and one of the things that makes us made in the image of Him. To not make the most out of our reasoning would do an injustice to our Creator. We have no right to restrict God's creation just like men have no right to restrict women's education.
#2 Virtue is what makes a human better than another. In Wollstonecraft's case, 'better' does not mean important or with a purpose. That would be rather rude to say in the author's case. Instead, it means to be more morally excellent. Just like with any other thing in life, human virtue comes in different levels and degrees. While reasoning is what sets us apart from all the rest of creation, virtue, on the other hand, is what sets us apart from each other. Wollstonecraft wanted to include virtue on her list of defenses because, in order to be morally virtuous, a woman needs to be also educated. No one can learn ethics unless they are taught them.
#3 God allows us temptations so that by struggling against them, we may gain knowledge. In this, Wollstonecraft drops her most powerful argument, at least in my opinion. If God teaches and trains both men and women the same, why should humans decide there is a difference between educating the two? God loves us equally. So should we.
By the way, I commented on blogs by Jacob Clabo and Abbie Hedden.
Comments
When I was reading these first few chapters, it didn't even occur to me that she was "borrowing" Kant's thought process by writing about the restrictions put on women by her society.
In addition, I absolutely adored Wollstonecraft's reasons on why women should be educated along with men! She was so civil and yet so zealous in her arguments that it was impossible not to respect and admire her. Wollstonecraft's even temperament contrast greatly, in my opinion, to the flamboyant methods of the feminists today! In fact, Wollstonecraft achieved a much higher degree of success with just a few, simple words, than most people today can accomplish with an entire group of activists!