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Who Counts as a Philosopher? - PHI00113I

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  • Department: Philosophy
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Annette Zimmermann
  • Credit value: 10 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2021-22

Module summary

In this module, we will be thinking about the history of the philosophical canon, and the (often underacknowledged) intellectual contributions of women to the field of philosophy.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2021-22

Module aims

In this module, we will be thinking about the history of the philosophical canon, and the (often underacknowledged) intellectual contributions of women to the field of philosophy. We will discuss questions such as: who counts as a philosopher? Which methods of reasoning are philosophical? Can literary and political writing be philosophical? Which questions does ‘real philosophy’ tackle? Does it matter who is doing philosophy? Does it matter where philosophy is being done? We will be approaching these questions by focusing on a number of women philosophers throughout history. This is not a systematic, comprehensive history of philosophy: rather, the course is designed as a brief glimpse into the rich ways in which women, including non-Western women and women of colour, have contributed to scholarly discourse on important philosophical themes. 

 

Module learning outcomes

On completing the module successfully, a student should

  • have gained a fuller understanding of the nature and scope of philosophy as a scholarly discipline, as well as fuller understanding of the historical contingency of the philosophical canon, including the contributions of women philosophers and philosophers of colour;

  • be able to work effectively and productively as a thinker and learner, individually and in collaboration with others, planning and scheduling, seeking help where appropriate, initiating and pursuing projects, and working collaboratively in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding;

  • be able to demonstrate informed sensitivity to, and reflection on, the role of cultural and historical context in interpreting and responding to the work and ideas of others;

  • reflect critically on the development of their own philosophical views and skills in light of feedback.

Module content

Many general introductory philosophy courses include topics such as “the mind and the body”, “knowledge”, “god and evil”, “authority and resistance” and their aim is to introduce students to influential philosophical texts: Descartes, Hume, Hobbes, or Locke, for instance. In an effort to incorporate the perspectives of women philosophers and philosophers of colour, such syllabi often include recent or contemporary philosophical sources written by members of these groups, which comment on the ‘seminal’ texts. While I agree with the aims of these efforts, I worry that they may (wrongly) give students the impression that women philosophers and philosophers of colour did not exist throughout history, and that they started making sophisticated contributions to the canon only recently. This course centres the contributions of women, including women of colour, to philosophy throughout history, rather than positioning them solely as secondary, peripheral contributors to important philosophical debates. While many of the women philosophers on the syllabus engaged directly and deeply with their male contemporaries (e.g. Margaret Cavendish with Hobbes), the latter did not always respond publicly to their philosophical work. Other women contributed to important philosophical and political issues of their time by commenting on them in the form of literary or political writing, the distinctly philosophical dimensions of which have been appreciated only recently by the philosophical community. 

 

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Summative essay (2000 words)		 N/A 80
Groupwork
Group presentation		 N/A 10
Groupwork
Peer feedback task		 N/A 10

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

  • Group Presentation (summative): 10-minute group presentation (pre-recorded) to be submitted on Monday, Autumn Week 4.
  • Peer feedback on a single presentation (summative): 300-500 word report to be submitted on Monday,  Autumn Week 5.*
  • Essay Plan (formative): 500 words to be submitted in Autumn Week 6.
  • Essay (summative): 2,000-word essay to be submitted on Monday, Week 1 of Spring Term

*This will be a written assignment for the group, so each group will as a team complete one peer feedback form based on the presentation delivered by one other group. This will not be anonymous: the names of each group member will be known to everyone. The peer review form will prompt students to constructively evaluate the other group’s presentation performance with respect to (a) the level of their fellow students’ understanding of the thinker’s argument (i.e. the subject of the presentation), (b) the clarity of exposition, and (c) the originality of the group’s analysis of “their” thinker’s thought in relation to the wider philosophical canon. The peer review form will also ask the group to concisely list (d) any possible objections/counterarguments to the arguments presented by the other group.

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Reassessment essay (2000 words)		 N/A 80
Essay/coursework
Short literature review		 N/A 20

Module feedback

Summative: students will receive marks and written feedback four weeks after the submission date.

Formative: students will receive feedback before the end of term.

Students can also get further, oral feedback on their formative and summative assessments by visiting the tutor’s office hour or by appointment.

 

Indicative reading

  • Kristie Dotson, “How is this Paper Philosophy?” Comparative Philosophy 3, No. 1 (2012): 3-29. 

  • Allen, Anita L., Maaza Mann, Anika, Marcano, Donna-Dale & Moody-Adams, Michele (2008), “Situated Black Women's Voices in/on the Profession of Philosophy”, Hypatia, 23 (2): 160-189. 

  • Haslanger, Sally (2008), “Changing the Ideology and Culture of Philosophy: Not by Reason (Alone)”, Hypatia, 23 (2): 210-223. 

  • Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, Princeton: Princeton University Press (1979) 

  • Akka Mahadevi, Songs for Siva: Vacanas of Akka Mahadevi, trans. Vinaya Chaitanya, HarperCollins India (2017)

  • Christine de Pizan, The Book of the City of Ladies (1405) 

  • Margaret Cavendish, Observations on the Experimental Philosophy, Eileen O’Neill (ed.), New York/Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2001) 

  • Sor Juana Ine´s de la Cruz, Loa to Divine Narcissus (El Divino Narciso) (1689) 

  • Mary Astell, Serious Proposal to the Ladies for the Advancement of their True and Greatest Interest (1694) 

  • Margaret Cavendish, Observations on the Experimental Philosophy, Eileen O’Neill (ed.), New York/Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2001) 

  • Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia and Rene´ Descartes, The Correspondence between Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia and Rene´ Descartes, Lisa Shapiro (ed. and transl.), Chicago: University of Chicago Press (2007) 

 


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.