RECOMMEND READING: (1) Epistemology & (2) Hierarchical Dualism Gig Philosophy pages for (1) traditional accounts of knowledge in the philosophical canon and (2) an overview of the ways in which reason has conventionally been linked to masculinity, while unreason has been linked to femininity.

NO simple solution to this problem.

It is NOT enough to affirm that both sexes are equal in their possession of reason, or that women should / can have equal participation in the acquisition of knowledge.

It is NOT as simple as allowing women to be accommodated into an ideal which has defined itself in opposition to the feminine.

Affirming the value and importance of the feminine CANNOT eradicate the underlying normative structures.

If there is reason that knows no sex and is common to all, it is something that we can aspire for in the FUTURE; as it is NOT in the current accounts of knowledge that are carried from the traditional conceptualization of a male reason

Feminists have NOT been disinterested in traditional philosophical issues, rather they have taken a principled disengagement with / critique of areas they view as inherently sexist.

Feminist Epistemology: Area of feminist philosophy that…

(i) Deals specifically with questions about the nature of knowledge;

(ii) Draws attention to fact that, historically, women been excluded or discouraged from important areas/disciplines of knowledge [particularly in academic institutions]; and

(iii) Examines whether the exclusion of women has had an impact on the subject as a whole

The discipline as a whole is enriched by feminist evaluation

Based on a misunderstanding of what emotions are

EMOTIONS =

☑️ Intentional: not dumb, unspoken, meaningless psychological feelings

☑️ Social Constructs: not instinctive, pre-social, or pre-linguistic
Not biologically determined

☑️ Active Engagements: not merely involuntary occurrences
Partly voluntary, partly involuntary
Habitual responses constitutive of the world

☑️ Valuable: both instrumentally [for survival] and intrinsically [give meaning to life]

PROBLEM: We tend to suppress them [socialization] which gives rise to a myth

Historically Marginalized Persons have 2 kinds of emotions: 

“Hegemonic” = conservative emotions 

• Perpetuate norms + expectations

• Serve interests of dominant groups

• Hinder new ways of living + thinking

“Outlaw” = unconventional emotions

• Due to women’s subordinate position in society = subculture

• Incorporate values + beliefs of oppressed

• Help rather than hinder knowledge:

• Motivate new investigations 

• Let us perceive world differently

• Raise challenges

❌ Individualist knower = generic, interchangeable, self-sufficient

❌ Denies epistemic relevance of ID and social locations

❌ Makes gender of epistemic agent irrelevant

❌ Ignores more complex forms of knowledge [emotive]

❌ Ignores social interactions which make knowledge possible

☑️ Situated knower = specific, contextual, lived experiences

☑️ Perspectives: shape, limit, & subtly influence knowledge  

☑️ Some locations are more epistemically reliable than others

☑️ Communities as knowers, NOT individuals - individuals can have knowledge, but not independently of communities

☑️ Standards set by critical engagement/scrutiny of others

STANDPOINT THEORY

Marginalized gain Epistemic Privilege through fighting one's oppression > DOUBLE VISION

Women = Good at reflecting on emotions b/c of their:

• Subordination

• Gender-roles

• Training for nurturance

But we don’t want to reverse the privilege
Instead, we ought to model knowledge nonhierarchically