Aristotle's views on women
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}}Sophia M. Connell (2021) holds that [[Aristotle's biology|Aristotelian biology]] "sets women up for intelligence" and "does not curtail [them] either intellectually or morally." The term ''akuron'' ("unauthoritative") thus denotes an external lack of legal force: a wife's decisions "cannot make it that her own decision affects others' actions," even though her reasoning is intact. Because the husband "delegates whole domains … to his wife," she must deploy ''[[Phronesis|phronēsis]]'' in running the household. Male rule, Connell concludes, rests only on women's lesser "spiritedness," not on any deficit of reason.Connell, S. M. (2021). ''Aristotle on women: Physiology, psychology, and politics'' (pp. 1, 32, 43, 45). Cambridge University Press. |
}}Sophia M. Connell (2021) holds that [[Aristotle's biology|Aristotelian biology]] "sets women up for intelligence" and "does not curtail [them] either intellectually or morally." The term ''akuron'' ("unauthoritative") thus denotes an external lack of legal force: a wife's decisions "cannot make it that her own decision affects others' actions," even though her reasoning is intact. Because the husband "delegates whole domains … to his wife," she must deploy ''[[Phronesis|phronēsis]]'' in running the household. Male rule, Connell concludes, rests only on women's lesser "spiritedness," not on any deficit of reason.Connell, S. M. (2021). ''Aristotle on women: Physiology, psychology, and politics'' (pp. 1, 32, 43, 45). Cambridge University Press. |
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[[File:Aizanoi bouleuterion or odeon june 2008 2310.jpg|thumb|A Greek Polis, illustrates a place where people can participate in a civic discussion]] |
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Several writers emphasise the [[moral agency]] Aristotle still grants. Hursthouse uses his account of friendship (''philia'') to show how wives cultivate virtue inside their allotted sphere,Hursthouse, R. (2007). ''Aristotle for women who love too much.'' In Proceedings of the Oxford Forum for Classical Philosophy (pp. 1–16). while Baker argues that the household virtues women practise are indispensable to the city's overall [[moral economy]].Baker, S. H. (2019). ''Aristotle and women: Household and political justice''. In SAGP/APA 2019 Papers (pp. 1–41). |
Several writers emphasise the [[moral agency]] Aristotle still grants. Hursthouse uses his account of friendship (''philia'') to show how wives cultivate virtue inside their allotted sphere,Hursthouse, R. (2007). ''Aristotle for women who love too much.'' In Proceedings of the Oxford Forum for Classical Philosophy (pp. 1–16). while Baker argues that the household virtues women practise are indispensable to the city's overall [[moral economy]].Baker, S. H. (2019). ''Aristotle and women: Household and political justice''. In SAGP/APA 2019 Papers (pp. 1–41). |
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Connell believes that Aristotle women's civic exclusion is due to temperament, not intellect. She stresses that Aristotelian biology "sets women up for intelligence … [and] does not curtail [them] either intellectually or morally."Connel, 2021, pp. 1, 45–47 |
Connell believes that Aristotle women's civic exclusion is due to temperament, not intellect. She stresses that Aristotelian biology "sets women up for intelligence … [and] does not curtail [them] either intellectually or morally."Connel, 2021, pp. 1, 45–47 |
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Similarly, Dobbs observes that, although wives belong to the household that undergirds the city, Aristotle "denies them any share in decision‑making that directs common affairs."Dobbs, 1996, pp. 559–585 Rist calls their function is reproductive and managerial, not legislative or judicial. Deslauriers stresses that Aristotle withholds ''phronēsis'', the [[Architectonics|architectonic]] virtue required for office‑holding, thereby fixing a constitutional boundary that women cannot cross. Sparshott sums up the consensus: Aristotle's political theory "makes no institutional space for female rule." |
Similarly, Dobbs observes that, although wives belong to the household that undergirds the city, Aristotle "denies them any share in decision‑making that directs common affairs."Dobbs, 1996, pp. 559–585 Rist calls their function is reproductive and managerial, not legislative or judicial. Deslauriers stresses that Aristotle withholds ''phronēsis'', the [[Architectonics|architectonic]] virtue required for office‑holding, thereby fixing a constitutional boundary that women cannot cross. Sparshott sums up the consensus: Aristotle's political theory "makes no institutional space for female rule."[[File:Aizanoi bouleuterion or odeon june 2008 2310.jpg|thumb|A part of a Greek Polis, this image is to illustrate a place where people can participate in a civic discussion]]A minority view detects a theoretical loophole. Baker notes that Aristotle counts practical household experience as a qualification for good legislation; if merit were the criterion, "women ought to hold office in assemblies" within an aristocratic or mixed regime. Hursthouse adds that Aristotle's account of ethical virtue does not restrict courage, temperance or justice to males. Smith, comparing Aristotle with [[Plato]], argues that Aristotle's sharp distinction between ruling form and subordinate matter ultimately forecloses the Platonic option of female guardians, reinforcing the mainstream reading despite these openings. |
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A minority view detects a theoretical loophole. Baker notes that Aristotle counts practical household experience as a qualification for good legislation; if merit were the criterion, "women ought to hold office in assemblies" within an aristocratic or mixed regime. Hursthouse adds that Aristotle's account of ethical virtue does not restrict courage, temperance or justice to males. Smith, comparing Aristotle with [[Plato]], argues that Aristotle's sharp distinction between ruling form and subordinate matter ultimately forecloses the Platonic option of female guardians, reinforcing the mainstream reading despite these openings. |
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==Biological theory == |
==Biological theory == |
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