Biology and genetics set the basic parameters for human behavior, but Homo sapiens ability to create “imagined realities” (which came about after the cognitive revolution) allows us to change our behavior without mutations to our DNA. According to evolutionary psychology, many of our present-day social and psychological characteristics were shaped during the 2,990,000 years before the agricultural revolution (Harari, 2015). Because we are a sexually dimorphic species, men and women on average have different traits and behaviors. For example, men generally have more muscle mass than women. These differences (among others) lead to the division of labor in early nomadic societies to be segregated by gender; in hunter-gatherer societies, the men …show more content…
Historically speaking, in most cultures, women were seen as inferior in some respect and were not given the same rights and status as their male counterparts. The play The Eumenides demonstrates the cultural divide between men and women in ancient Greece. In the story, Orestes is considered not guilty for crimes of matricide because only the male has parental status; in other words, mothers are not related to their children by blood (women are only incubators of embryos, according to the general Greek scientific consensus), so therefore he did not technically kill a family member. Clytemnestra (his mother) was punished for murdering out of revenge, but Orestes was set free for a similar crime, just because he murdered a woman and not a man. During the French Revolution in 1791, Marie Gouze wrote The Declaration of Rights of Woman, which advocated for “natural, inalienable, and sacred” rights for women. She wanted women to have freedom of speech, liberty, be able to own property, and have fair marriage contracts. …show more content…
This method is extremely limiting because the knowledge is only based off what is known - and if the previous knowledge is erroneous or the individual is biased, then the conclusions will be incorrect. Aristotle believed that heavy objects fell faster than lighter objects through sophistical reasoning. Although his theory was plausible, and made sense with what was known at the time, he was wrong. Empirical learning is using experimentation and observation to come to conclusions. Unfortunately, the aim of these type of reasoning was often to support theories that already existed and the procedures of such experiments were faulty. An example of this is observing bees to figure out their hierarchies – another piece of the world Aristotle tried to understand but failed. Superstitious learning is basing knowledge on “infallible” religious texts or ideology. It usually falls into circular reasoning – a text is proven to be true because it says it is true, according to those who adhere to this way of learning. Faith to an ideology supersedes the pursuit of objective truth. In fact, Aristotle used this reasoning as well – he believed that the universe had no beginning and that it can never end due to his Christian faith. Induction learning is a combination of empirical and sophistical learning, which is the foundation of the scientific method. The sophistical
In this essay I will examine the war-of the-sexes taking place in The Eumenides, the final play of The Oresteia. The plot of The Eumenides pits Orestes and Apollo (representing the male gods and, to a certain extent, male values in general) against the ghost of Clytemnestra and the Furies (equally representative of female values.) Of more vital importance, however, is whether Athene sides with the males or females throughout the play.
for the rights of women, and she even brought her own family into the rebellion to assist her in
Women were not always treated the same way they are treated today. Decades ago life was completely different for women. Women did not have any rights to vote, to drive, and most importantly to be independent. In the book, “Trying Neaira”, a greek woman named Neaira who was a courtesan was on trial because it was alleged that she illegally married an Athenian citizen and misrepresented her daughter as an Athenian citizen. During the trial, there were back and forth debates in whether she was guilty or not. Neaira is not guilty due to the fact that she was a victim for revenge, and there were lack of evidence with no proof. Neaira was a collateral damage for the ongoing feud.
Hesiod leaves no doubt that the existence of women is on balance a terrible thing for men. Zeus ordered Hephaistos to create women as a punishment for his having been decieved.. Women were to be a poisoned gift for men, which "all shall take to their hearts with delight, an evil to love and embrace" (W&D, 57-59). In the Theogony women are called "a great plague" because they are "ill-suited to Poverty’s curse, but suited to Plenty" (592-93), among other flaws. While Hesiod offers some well-turned phrases in praise of womens’ good qualities, it is unmistakable that these positive attributes are all put there by Zeus for the sole purpose of making woman an "inescapable snare" (589). Women are attractive, they have useful skills and, they provide progeny to help men in their old age, but these qualities are only to prevent men form avoiding the punishment that she brings.
paved the way for religious freedom. She was a great leader in the cause for
She pushed through all the tough times, and because she did that, she was able to accomplish her goal. Twenty-six million women were able to vote because of her. No one can ignore women anymore or their problems. They are now treated like everyone else. What she did, didn’t just get women the right to vote.
The Status of Women in New Testament and Lysistrata & nbsp; Since the beginning of time, the treatment of women has improved. dramatically. In the earliest of times women were mere slaves to men. Today women are near equals in almost all fields. In 411 B.C., when Lysistrata was written, men have many stunning advantages over their female counterparts. Women's rights between 30 and 100 A.D., the time of the New Testament. were still not what they are today, the treatment of women was far better. Overall, the equality of women in the New Testament exceeds that of the women in Lysistrata in three major ways: physical mobility, society's view of women.
Despite the law she began to travel and lecture across the nation for the women's right to vote. She also campaigned for the abolition of slavery, the right for women to own their own property and retain their earnings, and she advocated for women's labor organizations.
In the story of Medea, the author, Euripides, addresses the topics of foreignism and female roles in the ancient Greek society. In the play, Medea, a foreign born woman, marries Jason, a Greek man, and moves to Greece to be with him after leaving her homeland with death and devastation. Then, when their marriage fails, Medea lashes out against Jason, causing her own exile and murdering her children, to which she has no love connection, and Jason’s new wife in the process. The main character, Medea, confirms many of the alleged Greek prejudices against foreigners and creates some prejudices of her own in return. Medea’s foreign roots and misconceptions, as well as her familial and societal atrocities,
In the Bronze Age, early Greek’s political concern was largely on defense. During this time, while the men were serving in battles and war, women were expected to “bear future warriors” (Pomeroy 18), similarly to what Zeus enforced. Heroic Greek society demanded women to be married upon reaching maturity, and to begin having children immediately. The earliest writings of ancient Greece, usually accredited to Homer, show murderous arguments between men over women. Pomeroy writes, “It was a quarrel with Agamemnon over a valuable slave woman that precipitated Achilles’ withdrawal from the fighting at Troy and provided the theme for the Iliad.” (Pomeroy 25) Later, we will see how lawmakers enforced the role of women to prevent competition among
The need for women’s rights began back in colonial America where women were referred to as “inferior beings”. This era, though it is not particularly noted for it’s feminist movements, did hold such people as Margaret Brent, who was a wealthy holder of land in Maryland and was a strong, but unsuccessful voice in securing a place for women in the legislature of the colony. It was also a period where Quakers, and many other individuals, such as famous American patriot, Thomas Paine supported the rights of women, but at the time it was not enough to make a significant difference and it wasn’t until the 19th century that women would get the real chance to make a difference.
The world today revolves around a patriarchal society where it is a man’s world. Men are stereotyped to take jobs such as manual labor, construction, and armed forces while women are stereotyped to become nurses, caregivers, and cooks; but what makes it say that a woman can’t do manual labor or be a construction worker? Marc Breedlove, a behavioral endocrinologist at the University of California at Berkley, explains that gender roles “are too massive to be explained simply by society” (679). These gender behavior differences go far beyond our culture and into our genetics through Darwin’s theories of natural selection, survival of the fittest, and evolution.
Women began to speak out against the laws that were deliberately set against them. Throughout this time period, women were denied the right to vote in all federal and most state held elections. Women struggled to achieve equality; equality as citizens, equality in the work place, and equality at home. During this time, Americans worked to fight corruption in government, reduce the power of big business, and improve society as a whole.
Introduction The topic of gender differences must understandably be approached with caution in our modern world. Emotionally charged and fraught with ideas about political correctness, gender can be a difficult subject to address, particularly when discussed in correlation to behavior and social behavior. Throughout history, many people have strove to understand what makes men and women different. Until the modern era, this topic was generally left up to religious leaders and philosophers to discuss. However, with the acquisition of more specialized medical knowledge of human physiology and the advent of anthropology, we now know a great deal more about gender differences than at any other point in history.
Centuries of traditions has enabled men and women to define gender roles in society. Although some critics declare gender roles do not exist today, others believe they do. In society, men and women are defined by gender roles throughout their activities and emotions. A doctor is typically portrayed by a male while women rear the children and cook for the men. However, although still in existence, today these roles are less obvious but tend to have similar meaning when compared to the past. In ancient Greece, women suffered great hardships. Currently, females work, vote, and run for office. In comparison to ancient Greece, these activities are a phenomenal leap from being under the direct supervision of a male husband.