The ideal role of women in Plato's and Aristotle's societies

Sex role--Philosophy;Women--Greece;Plato--Political and social views;Plato. Republic--Criticism and interpretation;Plato. Laws--Criticism and interpretation;Aristotle--Political and social views;Philosophy, Ancient

Jawin, Alixandra ; Broadie, Sarah ; Broadie, Sarah

University:University of St Andrews

Department:Philosophical, Anthropological & Film Studies (School of)

关键词: Sex role--Philosophy;    Women--Greece;    Plato--Political and social views;    Plato. Republic--Criticism and interpretation;    Plato. Laws--Criticism and interpretation;    Aristotle--Political and social views;    Philosophy, Ancient;   

Others  :  https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/3201/AlixandraJawinMPhilThesis.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

来源: DR-NTU

【 摘 要 】

This dissertation analyzes Plato’s and Aristotle’sconception of women’s proper role in the state. The first chapterdemonstrates that due to Plato’s belief that the soul is sexless it isimpossible to determine one’s role in society by one’s sex. Plato’sclaim in the Republic that women who are qualified by nature willbecome guardians is therefore consistent with his larger view thatone’s role in society should only be based on one’s nature. Since theonly distinction between male and female Guardians is that womengive birth to children and are physically weaker than men, there is nojustification for barring women from the Guardian class. The secondchapter turns to the Symposium and Plato’s thoughts on intellectual aswell as physical pregnancy, and specifically that according to Plato theprocess of giving birth does not affect a woman’s soul or capacity toreason. In the third chapter I demonstrate that even outside the idealcity of the Republic, Plato does not revise his position on women’scapacities. The Laws is more concerned with practicality than theRepublic and Plato is therefore forced to make concessions which limitwomen’s opportunity to govern, but such concessions are minor. Thischapter also emphasizes Plato’s belief that good laws make goodpeople and describes how this realization enables him to recognizethat the poor condition of the women in Classical Athens is due toAthenian social institutions and not to women’s inferior nature. Finally,the fourth chapter turns to Aristotle and seeks to prove that hisposition on women’s role in the state is far more nuanced thanappreciated.