Women In Kant's Critique Of Judgment '

535 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Ancient Greek thought and the role of women

Plato through Socrates is trying to advocate for the advancement and equality of women. However, his notion of equality is different than the one people are making today. For Plato still thought of women as inferior, but he thought that women were inferior just to men of their own class and inferior to men in the society as a whole. This is important because today’s notion of equality calls for not only equality for men and women in the same social class, but also in society as a whole. Socrates then tells the group about the philosopher-kings. Socrates also tries to differentiate between actual philosophers and so called, “lovers of sights and sounds”. These lovers could be seen as aesthetes or people who claim to know what is beautiful. What …show more content…

More importantly, Plato sets up an interesting epistemological, metaphysical, and aesthetical idea revolving around this idea of Forms. Can a beautiful woman be completely beautiful? Or is she only somewhat beautiful with minor imperfections? Can we base our knowledge on something that is only partially true? How do we know what is true beauty? Can beauty be a pure or absolute truth? In there something outside of our own existence which dictates beauty? In Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Judgment, he tries to argue for beauty as a subjective feeling with some universal validity. According to Kant, the nature and existence of God are unknowable to us and so too are the idea of the Argument of Design (the Argument of Design is one where the patterns and perfection in nature suggests that there is an intelligent designer) and so therefore our judgements of beauty are based on subjective feelings with some universal validity. If beauty were an objective property held by nature, then how were these objects made to be beautiful? This can be related back to the idea of the beautiful woman. Our judgement of beauty is one made with feelings and there is universality to those feelings. Our judgement of beauty is universal because it is disinterested in us as an individual. That is to say that our own individual wants and

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Pericles ' Funeral Speech

    1256 Words  | 3 Pages

    Women in ancient Greece are an interesting subject and only so much is known about the exact day to day lives of them however from what records remain it would seem that they were kept at a relatively low level on the social hierarchy. Even in Pericles ' Funeral Speech which seems to be an almost utopian discretion of aspects of Greek life Pericles himself states that “Great will be your glory in not falling short of your natural character; and greatest will be hers who is least talked of among the men whether for good or for bad.” Pericles states that the greatest of women should be the ones whom are not noticed but still preform there tasks while not catching the attention of men. Adding to this even the great philosopher Aristotle bags on the women of Greece simply by stating that ”female [souls are] inoperative” With this simple statement Aristotle makes it seem that women are somehow broken and can never live up to the same standards as men. Even Xenophon, The Economist rambles on...

    Read More

  • Eve Browning Cole's Women Slaves and Love of Toil

    865 Words  | 2 Pages

    Cole's article is not to attack Aristotle on his views of where a woman should be placed within the social and political order, in accordance to the Classic Greek period. Her intrigue is within "surveying some central values of that particular social and political institution," (Sterba 79). At first she begins with Aristotle's view on gender and class in ethics. Making a definite point among the social/political class, ancient Greek women and slaves were only allowed their male citizens to think for them. Being dependent on men silences the women and slaves without a voice to speak out, for the women work while the men socialize with others, the men assume that the women do not need a voice. According to Aristotle, even a woman's virtue is to be subservient to all males. As a part of common life the woman is considered the pack horse and the mother to raise the children, for the men. With all the work that women put into their specific households, some education and training would mature from the experience. It was thought again by Aristotle within; Deliberation, Education, and Emancipation, that woman did not possess the aptitude for practical reasoning. For whomever possessed practical reasoning carried with them authority on their decisions and the action pending. From these three classic Greek examples of how women were considered mentally and treated physically, the author Cole provides a progressive outlook of how women could have gained social and political power in a society of male dominant figures.

    Read More

  • Treatment Of Women In Ancient Greece Essay

    1762 Words  | 4 Pages

    When thinking of ancient Greece, images of revolutionary contrapposto sculpture, ornate lecture halls, and great philosophers in togas are sure to come to mind. As the birthplace of democracy and western philosophy, ancient Greece has had an inordinate influence on the progression of the modern world. However, the ancient Greeks’ treatment of women is seemingly at direct odds with their progressive and idealistic society.

    Read More

  • Plato's Theory Of Virtue In Plato, By Therefor Plato

    1656 Words  | 4 Pages

    In The Republic Plato argues that some women have the ability to become philosopher-Guardians. This idea during that time wasn’t viewed as a normal idea to spring upon, therefor Plato argues this statement through questionings and contradictions to justify this radical idea. He does so by summing up his ideas and thoughts through his theory of virtue.

    Read More

  • Feminine Power: Homer's Odyssey Revisited

    1154 Words  | 3 Pages

    Men, at the time, created our representation of the traditional Greek woman by how the visualized in artworks to how they were perceived in literature. Women remained secondary to many and were denied a public voice. They were treated like adolescents. Marriages were arranged by the dominant male figure in the family. When that man passed the female relative did not receive her family inheritance generally, it was passed on to her husband instead. As for a woman’s social life, they hardly had one. A woman’s duties were confined to the indoors catering to the household/family need such as cooking, cleaning and raising children. A woman required special permission if she desired to go out of those

    Read More

  • Four Arguments For The World Of Life In Plato's Phaedo

    1217 Words  | 3 Pages

    He argues that non-physical forms or ideas represent the most accurate reality. There exists a fundamental opposition between in the world like the object as a concrete, sensible object and the idea or concept of the objects. Forms are typically universal concepts. The world of appearance corresponds to the body. The world of truth corresponds with the soul. According to Plato, for any conceivable thing or property there is a corresponding Form, a perfect example of that or property is a tree, house, mountain, man, woman, Table and Chair, would all be examples of existing abstract perfect Ideas. Plato says that true and reliable knowledge rests only with those who can comprehend the true reality behind the world of everyday experience. In order to perceive the world of the Forms, individuals must undergo a difficult

    Read More

  • Athenian Treatment of Individuals and Government

    944 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...rotect their women and children.10 Plato states that much like the dogs used to hunt, if women receive “the same nurture and education” then they too would be as good as men, and should not be treated as if they are not inferior to men. “Men and women alike possess the qualities which make a guardian; they differ only in their comparative strength or weakness”, Plato is saying that although men and women are different they both have strengths and weaknesses that are required.11

    Read More

  • The role of Women in Greece

    1539 Words  | 4 Pages

    As a result, these characters have significant religious meanings and serve as a form of inspiration to other women. This would mainly apply to those women who were in attendance. This would include women of all classes that simply wanted to watch a play. Their limitations amongst society can also be noticed by the amount of education that they are entitled to. Plato’s Republic mentions how the role of women is determined by the status of their spouse.

    Read More

  • Critical Analysis Of Plato's Symposium

    1262 Words  | 3 Pages

    Plato’s The Symposium creates an atmosphere that attempts to justify love in a way that excludes women in order to substantiate Plato’s belief that men are more intellectually capable than women. The constant explanation and praise of love among men not only illustrates Plato’s view that males are superior, but it also reveals his reverence for relationships between men as opposed to relationships between men and women. In addition, while the Symposium focuses on a sense of love that yearns to find completion, it also uses Aristophanes to explain that regardless of the gender of an individual, each person seeks to find completion in their own sense, however, Plato maintains a strong point of view towards the love shared among men.

    Read More

  • A Critical Analysis of Plato's and Sartre's Views on Existence

    1820 Words  | 4 Pages

    Plato’s view on existence can be understood by discussing his theory of Forms. The theory of Forms or Ideas is about the existence of ideas in higher form of reality, the existence of a reality inhabited by forms of all things and concepts. Plato used example of objects such as table and rock and concepts like Beauty and Justice to illustrate the notion of Forms. Plato further describes Forms as a being possessed by concepts. For example, Virtue has different characters; but they all have a common nature which makes them virtuous.

    Read More

  • Essay on Satire in Lysistrata

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    Aristophanes stereotypes women as bickering, self-centered, unintelligent people in the beginning.  They are sex driven and selfish.  Lysistrata is upset that the women are late for the very important meeting "Here I've called a meeting to discuss a very important matter, and they're all still fast asleep" (180).  Calonice sums up what women are thought to do all day, and also what they represent to their households; "The women!  What could they ever do that was any use?  Sitting at home putting flowers in their hair, putting on cosmetics and saffron gowns and Cimberian see-through shifts, with slippers on our feet?" (181).  It is in fact these very frivolous ideas that are used to bring peace to the two cities.  Throughout the play Aristophanes begins to knock down ...

    Read More

  • Immanuel Kant's Theory of Judgment

    945 Words  | 2 Pages

    What are, and what are the differences between, judgments of perception and judgments of experience for Kant?

    Read More

  • Plato’s Republic: Proto-traditional Feminism and Modern Feminism

    1604 Words  | 4 Pages

    In book five of Plato’s Republic, Socrates argues that in the ideal city of Kallipolis, both men and women will serve as guardians and auxiliaries. Consequently, Plato appears to endorse feminist ideologies. Firs,t I will define proto-traditional feminism, and modern feminism. I will then argue that Plato presents Socrates, and thereby himself, as an advocate for feminism. However, I will show that Plato is only a feminist under the proto-traditional definition of feminism. He fails to fit the modern definition of feminism, as this definition is contingent on equality and equity. Furthermore, I will consider the objection that Plato cannot be a feminist due to his motivation for equality. Although Plato endorses some feminist ideologies, his motivation behind his endorsement of these ideologies does not come from the belief that women should be equated to men, but that everyone must play their role in Kallipolis. I will then consider the differences between the traditional definition and modern definition of feminism to show that Plato is indeed a feminist. His motivations behind his endorsements are irrelevant to his advocacy for equality between men and women.

    Read More

  • Discussion Of Women And Women In Plato's Republic

    1194 Words  | 3 Pages

    Plato indicates how women might live is a man's world, but there is little doubt that it is a man's world. Women might become guardians, but only by becoming honorary men: by having, men make room for them. Woman will be equally responsible for enforcing the laws and establishing which traits are to be valued. They will be socialized into a Patriarchy. Patriarchy is based on an ideology of men's superiority over women. Plato's philosopher-queens will be unable to overcome

    Read More

  • Does Perfection Exist?: Plato´s Theory of Forms

    789 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to Plato, his Theory of Forms states perfection only lives in the realm of thought. There only exists one of every ideal and the rest is just a copy. This one creation is called a form, the most flawless representation of an idea. In the physical world everything is a copy of these forms and all copies are imperfect. Plato believed in two worlds; the intelligible world and the illusionistic world. The intelligible world is where everything is unchanging and eternal. We can only grasp the intelligible world with our mind. It is the world of ideas and not senses. A place where there are perfect forms of the things we know on Earth. According to Plato everything in the world we live in is an illusion. All objects are only shadows of their true forms. His theory further states every group of objects that have the same defying properties must have an ideal form. For example, in the class of wine glasses there must be one in particular that is the ideal wine glass. All others would fall under this ideal form.

    Read More

More about Women In Kant's Critique Of Judgment '

Open Document