There's an interesting article about women in philosophy in the next issue of The Philosopher's Magazine, and an interesting discussion about it here. The perennial question: why so few?
I've never studied philosophy in a formal setting, but the confrontational method that I see in many online philosophy discussions turns me off, and I imagine that it would turn off most women whom I know. However, I know some very competitive males (I'm not one), who enjoy "take no prisoners" arguing, and so there may be a gender thing there. I have no idea whether that gender difference is biological or cultural. It's sad that the style of doing philosophy keeps women out of the field because philosophy should be the love of wisdom, not the joy of bashing the other. I know some males who studied philosophy and who are the thoughtful type, not the "take no prisoners" type, but none of them went on to become professional philosophers.
Because when qualified candidates outpace the jobs, people resort to arbitrary criteria for hiring. This report is on "full time" professors. Now check to see how many women are ghettoized into contract faculty work. In Canada, that's where the scum in charge are sticking all the ladies.
It's sexism, of course, and it undermines the credibility of all philosophy departments everywhere. But if it weren't sexism, it would be another kind of ism, because the problem is that there isn't enough money to support intellectual labor.
I've never studied philosophy in a formal setting, but the confrontational method that I see in many online philosophy discussions turns me off, and I imagine that it would turn off most women whom I know. However, I know some very competitive males (I'm not one), who enjoy "take no prisoners" arguing, and so there may be a gender thing there. I have no idea whether that gender difference is biological or cultural. It's sad that the style of doing philosophy keeps women out of the field because philosophy should be the love of wisdom, not the joy of bashing the other. I know some males who studied philosophy and who are the thoughtful type, not the "take no prisoners" type, but none of them went on to become professional philosophers.
ReplyDeleteBecause when qualified candidates outpace the jobs, people resort to arbitrary criteria for hiring. This report is on "full time" professors. Now check to see how many women are ghettoized into contract faculty work. In Canada, that's where the scum in charge are sticking all the ladies.
ReplyDeleteIt's sexism, of course, and it undermines the credibility of all philosophy departments everywhere. But if it weren't sexism, it would be another kind of ism, because the problem is that there isn't enough money to support intellectual labor.
"Because when qualified candidates outpace the jobs, people resort to arbitrary criteria for hiring."
ReplyDeleteThat's for DAMN sure.