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Louise Antony's broadly interdisciplinary work brings a naturalistic perspective to philosophical issues of both theoretical and practical importance and center on a key theme--whether, and how, facts about human embodiment ought to constrain philosophical theories. Through a unique philosophical lens, she addresses issues of both theoretical and practical interest: for example, is pornography "hate speech" against women? What is it for scientists, professors and reporters to be "objective"? Is there such a thing as "human nature," and if there is, what are the implications for gender equality? Known for her work in philosophy of mind, theory of knowledge, and feminism, Antony approaches these and other issues with unusual rigor, passion, and wit. This volume showcases Antony's influential contributions to feminist and analytic philosophy, epistemology, and the philosophy of mind.
List of contents
- Introduction
- Part I: (My) Philosophy Meets (My) Feminism
- 1. Quine as Feminist: The Radical Import of Naturalized Epistemology
- 2. Is Psychological Individualism a Piece of Ideology?
- 3. Sisters, Please, I'd Rather Do It Myself: A Defense of Individualism in Epistemology.
- 4. Backlash and Double Binds
- 5. Fantasies of Embodiment and Entitlement: Feminism and Analytic Philosophy
- 6. Is There a 'Feminist' Philosophy of Language?
- 7. Pornography and the Philosophy of Language
- 8. Be What I Say
- Part II: Knowledge and Partiality
- 9. Naturalized Epistemology, Morality, and the Real World
- 10. The Puzzle of Patriotism
- 11. Because I Said So: Toward a Feminist Theory of Authority (with Rebecca Hanrahan)
- 12. The Socialization of Epistemology
- 13. Embodiment and Epistemology
- 14. Bias -- Friend or Foe? Reflections on Saulish Skepticism
- Part III: Beyond Nature v. Nurture
- 15. Human Nature and its Role in Feminist Theory
- 16. Back to Androgyn: What Bathrooms Can Teach Us About Equality
- 17. Natures and Norms
- 18. Different Voices or Perfect Storm? Explaining the Dearth of Women in Philosophy
- 19. Feminism without Metaphysics: A Deflationary Account of Gender
About the author
Louise Antony is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts. Antony has research and teaching interests in the philosophy of mind, feminist philosophy, epistemology, philosophy of cognitive science and the philosophy of religion. She is the co-editor of A Mind of One's Own: Feminist Essays on Reason and Objectivity (with Charlotte Witt), Chomsky and His Critics (with Norbert Hornstein), and editor of Philosophers Without Gods: Meditations on Atheism and the Secular Life . She served as President of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology in 2010-11, and President of the Eastern Division of the American Philosophical Association in 2015-6.
Summary
This volume showcases the work of philosopher Louise Antony, and her influential contributions to feminist and analytic philosophy, epistemology, and the philosophy of mind. Her broadly interdisciplinary work brings a naturalistic perspective to philosophical issues of both theoretical and practical importance and center on a key theme--whether, and how, facts about human embodiment ought to constrain philosophical theories.
Antony argues that feminist criticisms of analytic epistemology have brought to light some serious limitations of mainstream approaches to the theory of knowledge, and that a naturalistic approach to epistemology is called for. In Part One of this volume, she considers the relationship between feminism and analytic philosophy of mind and language, with special attention to "speech act" theories of pornography. In Part Two, she defends naturalized epistemology both as a correct approach to the study of human knowledge, and as a useful tool for progressive activists in the struggle for social justice. And in Part Three, she confronts nature-nurture debates, particularly as these erupt in debates about gender and racial equality. Throughout the volume, she makes the case for a philosophical method informed by empirical science.
Collecting these articles alongside a new introduction reveal the underlying unity and impressive power of Antony's work over several decades. Groundbreaking at the time of their publication, and more relevant today, this collection will be of interest to a wide range of philosophical readers.
Additional text
This collection of Antony's essays is an invaluable resource on the thought of one of the most important figures in analytical feminism.
