Feminist TheoryWell, Feminist Epistemological Theory (a theory of knowledge from a female perspective) certainly attracted a large crowd and generated animated discussion. Dr. Burchard discussed the evolution of the traditional system of epistemology as it arose out of European history and culture. It is predominantly a product of European Caucasian male minds, as is the rest of the world we live in. This epistemological perspective has dominated the Western World since the time of the early Greeks. Apparently, it has been too successful to be tolerated much longer. But many of its assumptions do appear faulty. For example, it has held that knowledge which is true must be true for everyone and for all time. In other words, truth and knowledge of it should be universal and unchanging. Knowledge is not relative to individual perspectives, historical or cultural context, one’s gender, one’s previous experiences etc. It is a matter of it ‘being there’ and waiting passively to be discovered. And when we do discover it, we should realize it and all grasp it in the same way. We gain access to it through a rational process. Feminists offer that women’s lives count in the world and that they have made contributions to the world that are important but have been ignored. Other perspectives exist and ought to be heard. They point out that ‘truth claims’ are often conflicting. There are so many different minds in the world that it is doubtfulthat all ‘see’ and ‘grasp’ the truth as knowledge in the same way. But there is no judicial body to decide what should be accepted as true. I suppose science has predominated because scientific theories are tested against the world by using them to predict actions. When they work, we accept them as ‘true’. The lights come on, the oven heats, the TV, phones and radios operate, the bombs explode, as predicted. Feminists point out the knowledge seems ‘located’ which is to say that it belongs to people in the world who are located, not only geographically and positionally, but socially, economically, historically, & culturally. |
etc. The contexts in which we experience and learn are variable and count towards our view of truth and knowledge. Some have ‘epistemic privilege’ which means their locations provide them some advantage in acquiring certain kinds of knowledge. Knowledge has become a kind of power and this gives privileged people some control over others. Feminists suggest that knowledge is not just of the mind of the individual but is also of the body. The body can and does learn (musculoskeletal knowledge) through performing repetitive acts which become habitual and enhance performance. This is called training. All who attended realize that there was much more said than can be summarized here but it was all stimulating, interesting and certainly entertaining. Coming up is Pragmatism. It has been thought of as a peculiarly American philosophy. Indeed, some have thought it was responsible for America’s anti-philosophical and mundane world view. This impression would be wrong. The classical pragmatists, Charles A. Peirce, William James and John Dewey, were anything but mundane philosophers. All three were engaged with some of the most vital issues of their day such as the nature and place of spirituality, social justice, and education. Their inquiries in these areas still effect our practices today. In recent years, philosophers have returned to pragmatism, finding within it intellectual tools relevant to issues of our own day. Richard Rorty has developed a political philosophy influenced by the democratic theory of Dewey. Hilary Putnam has developed a critique of modern scientism along the lines of James, and Nicholas Rescher has argued that a return to Peirce can clarify and improve our understanding of many important moral issues. Advocates of legal pragmatism suggest that ideas held sacred in the legal domain are many times counter-productive. Ideas that seem good and functional to practitioners within the legal domain are not effective. The professional domain needs to be critiqued along more empirical lines in order to judge its pragmatic pedigree. Bring a friend and come and hear about it! Al Iosue |