Feminist Philosophy

Feminist Philosophy

How did Mary Wollstonecraft affect first-wave feminism

Mary Wollstonecraft was no doubt a great feminist and deserved to be called grandmother of the feminist thought . Her early experiences of an unsuccessful family life as well as the prevailing notion of the philosophers at that time about women shaped her views to become authentic feminist grand mother

Wollstonecraft 's feminist ideas affected the first wave of feminism through her arguments against the prevailing views on women most notably that of Rousseau 's which categorized women as subservient to men

Rousseau held that women 's education should be designed entirely to make them pleasing to men . Rousseau reflected to , to be useful to us , to make us love and esteem them , to educate us when young and take care of us when grown up , to advise , to console us , to render our lives easy and agreeable - these are duties of women at all times (Feminist Philosophy . Against this view , Wollstonecraft work hard to emphasize that the role of women in the society were not simply an ornaments and playthings of men as they are also capable of attaining masculine virtues of wisdom and rationality if society would allow those value to be cultivated (p . 475-476 . Wollstonecraft pointed out that the prevailing views on women had bad implications not only on women but on society as well as they will only breed bitterness jealousy , and folly . She affected the first wave of feminist by encouraging them to restore women to...