The theme of today’s presentation is “Women philosophers”. Actually pretty silly. There are philosophers and there are other people…why is the gender an issue of interest here? Yet, before I’ll talk about female philosophers I’d like to spend a few words on females in this world. Europe is flooded with refugees from islamic countries. In Köln/Cologne in Germany women were molested by a large group of men from these islamic countries. In islamic countries women have to cover their whole body with burkhas, veils and so on. Now I understand. But this has nothing to do with islam. The position of women in India and South-America is even worse regarding respect for personal and physical integrity. This is a global problem. What is going on on this planet with respect to women? Why is there no equality between men and women? Do males suffer of some kind of brain disorder, when they see a female? Ok…I can give you another lecture on this subject, which could last for hours. What did Darwin overlook in the evolution of the male brain in relation to the female brain? Philosophy takes brains. Woman and man, they both have the same central nervous system biologically. And what do we see? Well…here we go… "In the last century, women went from having a complete absence among

professional philosophers in the United States to achieving a representation that is now nearing 20 percent. From being denied entry into many colleges and universities, even as undergraduate students, even up until the 1970s, some of us have now become full professors in graduate departments". These are the words of Linda Martin Alcoff in the introduction of her book "Singing in the Fire, stories of women in philosophy",, published in 2003 Linda Martin Alcoff is Professor of Philosophy, Political Science and Women's Studies at Syracuse University. "There is a deep well of rage inside of me Rage about how I as an individual have been treated in philosophy; rage about how others I know have been treated; and rage about the conditions that I’m sure affect many women and minorities in philosophy, and have caused many others to leave. Most of the time I suppress this rage and keep it sealed away Until I came to MIT in 1998, I was in a constant dialogue with myself about whether to quit philosophy, even give up tenure, to do something else. In spite of my deep love for philosophy, it just didn’t seem worth it. And I am one of the very lucky ones. One of the ones who has been successful by the dominant standards of the profession Whatever the numbers say about women and minorities in philosophy, numbers don’t begin to tell the story. Things may be getting better in some contexts, but they are far from acceptable." These are the words of Sally Haslanger, Professor at the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy Massachusetts Institute of Technology in her article . "Changing the Ideology and Culture of Philosophy: Not by Reason (Alone)" which appeared in the “Musings” column, Hypatia, Spring 2008. NOTE THE YEAR! One final quote from the article: " Women, I believe, want a good working environment with mutual respect. And philosophy, mostly, doesn’t offer that." The reading of the book of Alcoff is not a pleasure. Twelve US women tell the story of their academic careers. With the echo of Sally Haslanger's words in your mind you can image what kind of stories these are. Every human being has a central nervous system and a brain. In that respect all humans are the same. That there exist qualitative differences , is a fact of life, but they are not gender related. In other words, the female and male brain treat philosophical problems in the

same way and arrive at the same conclusions. However, we can not deny history and the social position of women and its consequences. When you open any book on the history of philosophy, you’ll notice that often 100% and in a better case 99% of all philosophers mentioned are male. This is telling us so much about the world we live in. How can it be that half of the population of this world is kind of disqualified, put aside as second rate persons? And the most amazing thing of all is, that the one half that does this is born by that other half. What a situation…. Fortunately Wikipedia has an entry named “List of women philosophers” and it reads: “While the vast majority of major philosophers have been male, there are a number of influential female philosophers.

Women have engaged in philosophy throughout the field's history. While there were women philosophers since the earliest times, and some were accepted as philosophers during their lives, almost no women philosophers have entered the philosophical Western canon.” However, it is an impressive not exhaustive list of about 195 names. And great names, but to my disappointment one name was missing. But you may call it Dutch chauvinism. It is Anna Maria van Schurman (1607 -1678). The first woman admitted to a university and pleading for education for women.

She did not need to wear a burkha, but she only was allowed to attend the lectures of Voetius from behind a curtain, so that she was invisible for the male students. Today the Internet opens a gateway to discover, what women philosophers have contributed to our philosophical discourse in many areas. You only need to search on “women philosophers”.

One hit in the Google search on women philosophers was this interesting one: “10 Female Philosophers Who Will Change Your Life. Want to kick your mind into gear? Look no further than these 10 amazing female philosophers.” And this is not an exaggeration. There have been women philosophers who had a clear impact on how our society has developed. Of course I can’t discuss all of them, but let me mention you two of the most significant women. The first one is Ayn Rand.Her novel “Atlas Shrugged” (1957) has sold more copies than the Bible and the impact of her ideas are felt till this very moment.

"Within academia, her philosophical work has earned either no attention or has been criticized for its allegedly derivative nature, a lack of rigor, and a limited understanding of the issues she wrote about; though an increasing interest in her writing saw the philosophy department of the University of Texas at Austin establish a fellowship in her name in 2001" This is not my wisdom, but what you find in the English Wikipedia about Ayn Rand. She got a lot of publicity and a statement like this sounds so much like academic jealousy. Except for Texas of course....but wasn’t that the home base of George Bush?

She had a real influence on many people. She is at the roots of some strong political ideas and movements, that shape this earth. I only can say: she was and is highly controversial. The second woman I like to mention is Simone de Beauvoir. As only the ninth woman to receive a degree from the Sorbonne in Paris, Simone de Beauvoir had a good start intellectually speaking.

While she was there, she met Jean-Paul Sartre, the well-known existentialist who she would enter into a life-long relationship with; both left lasting and deep impressions on the other’s work. De Beauvoir is most famous for her book The Second Sex (1949), which lays out the groundwork for the theory of feminist existentialism, basically, that a person is not born a woman, she becomes one by being compared to men, hence the title of the work. And thus women philosophers are made too. Her book “All Men Are Mortal” (1946) had the greatest impact on me, when I read it in my thirties. It is about the meaningless of daily life for an immortal in contrast with the trivial daily concerns of a mortal.

This all leads to one and only conclusion as a male philosopher: the ultimate is to end up in the same grave as the fellow philosopher, you always have loved……… Thank you for your attention…

The Debate [14:20] NullSubset Burner: cant stand rands overlong rationalisations around social darwinism :( [14:20] NullSubset Burner: https://feministtalk.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/simone-de-beauvoir-existentialist-feminism-and-the-second-sex/ [14:20] Dali Waverider: sweet [14:20] CB Axel: ҉ ҉αρρℓαυѕє ҉ ҉ [14:20] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Thank you, Herman ㋡ [14:20] herman Bergson: thank you :-) [14:21] Arianne (ariannejp): May I ask u a question? [14:21] Dali Waverider: Nice definition of success B-) [14:21] herman Bergson: always... [14:21] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Recognition, huh... there is none for female philosophers it seems [14:21] herman Bergson: feel free to take the floor... [14:22] Arianne (ariannejp): You told that both gender has same brain and nerve

system, but we know hormonal function of pituitaly gland is different. What do u think it? [14:23] herman Bergson: Nothing much actually...it may lead to different responses to the same situation...so what? [14:23] herman Bergson: It is just how we are...:-) [14:24] Arianne (ariannejp): I thought our brain s are not same, seems to g\have different thinking way [14:24] Areyn Laurasia: it's rather our culture and environment that makes us think differently [14:25] CB Axel: Thinking differently shouldn't mean we should suppress the thoughts of one gender. [14:25] herman Bergson: I doubt that...my professor for Logic at the university was a woman....and they always say only men are logical...:-) [14:25] Arianne (ariannejp): Yes , but mom is not dad lol [14:25] herman Bergson: Thinking different isnt a matter of biological differences but cultural differences.... [14:25] Areyn Laurasia: and dad would say don't be an engineer.. don't do postgrad [14:25] herman Bergson: nurture...not nature [14:26] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): so true Areyn [14:26] Widget Whiteberry: Arianne, you are thinking about roles, which is perhaps more nurture than nature [14:26] Widget Whiteberry: I have another strong MIT resource to offer ... Microbio professor Nancy Hopkins The Changing Status of Women in Science at MIT: 1999-2011 on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQUB3LeJEJE and interviewed by Tom Levenson in SL in 2012 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/virtually-speaking-science/2012/10/17/tom-levenson-nancy-hopkins [14:26] CB Axel: So you think male aggression is only a product of nurture and has nothing to do with the influence of testosterone? [14:26] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): oh nice Widget ㋡ [14:26] herman Bergson: there have been brilliant women philosophers in all fields... [14:27] Widget Whiteberry: women have testosterone [14:27] CB Axel: Not as much as men. [14:27] Arianne (ariannejp): We wiil be able to stop the war lol [14:27] Widget Whiteberry: some men have more than others [14:27] Widget Whiteberry: true, CB [14:27] Widget Whiteberry: on average [14:27] herman Bergson: The women of Sparta did Arianne :-)) [14:27] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): women are raised to build bridges, Arianne ㋡ [14:27] Widget Whiteberry: but averges don't describe individuals [14:28] CB Axel: Nurture is definitely important. I won't deny that. [14:28] CB Axel: I can't deny that. °͜° [14:28] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Hi Red ㋡ [14:28] Mike Shaw (shawza.tunwarm): Sorry for being late! [14:28] herman Bergson: the position of women in society is a cultural thing.... [14:28] CB Axel: Yes [14:28] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Happens to the best, Red ㋡ [14:28] herman Bergson: if it weren't feminism would be nonsense

[14:29] illing Edman: wasn't a woman in the middle east that opened the first university ....a long long time back ? [14:29] Areyn Laurasia: yes [14:29] Areyn Laurasia: a muslim woman [14:29] illing Edman: yes [14:29] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): lets not forget Hypatia either [14:29] illing Edman: right [14:30] Arianne (ariannejp): Do u think, woman philosopher will be increasing in number on future? prof.herman ? [14:30] herman Bergson: yes we talk about the old names...but look at the present... [14:30] Areyn Laurasia: University of al-Qarawiyyin by Fatima al-Fihri in 859 [14:31] herman Bergson: I would say Arianne that it should be at least a 50% - 50% situation between male and female philosophers [14:31] illing Edman: in the old days woman lost their jobs when they married not that long ago [14:31] herman Bergson: how old are those days Illing :-)) ? [14:32] NullSubset Burner: actually this is my interest - I’ve long suspected that we are missing new or unconsidered avenues of exploration n the sciences because female science workers have not had the cultural and societal supports to develop a unique female approach to problem solving - the differences between sexes may start with the endocrine system - but the full epigenetic expression of said potentials makes for differences that can be leveraged on some problems from new or unexpected directions . [14:32] CB Axel: I don't see anything about being a wife or a mother that should stand in the way of being a philosopher. [14:32] illing Edman: that still happens in the 60th Herman [14:32] CB Axel: I agree Null. [14:32] illing Edman: happened * [14:32] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Maybe tv has a role here too... I mean vips are fun and all but why doesn't tv take up to the glove and present average people with discussions between Nowadays philosophers and scientists for example? [14:33] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Pimp up the attraction [14:33] CB Axel: You'll never see that on American TV. [14:33] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): I know... and thats sad [14:33] Mike Shaw (shawza.tunwarm): maybe PBS [14:33] CB Axel: I've given up on almost all TV. [14:34] Artemis Areille Amedee (jeanie4joy): PBS is great tv [14:34] Areyn Laurasia: lol... I kinda stopped watching tv with sl [14:34] herman Bergson: I sympathise with that CB :-) [14:34] CB Axel: I only watch 3 shows. °͜° [14:34] herman Bergson: the media are a social disaster... [14:34] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): TV needs to raise to the occasion [14:34] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): agrees herman [14:35] CB Axel: All media does, imo. [14:35] Areyn Laurasia: maybe it has something to do with the network ratings... people want to be entertained rather than be informed [14:35] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): You can always start your own youtube channel ㋡ [14:35] Mike Shaw (shawza.tunwarm): This series is perhaps of interest:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meeting_of_Minds [14:35] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): think so too Areyn [14:35] CB Axel: I almost called into a radio show this week to complain about their coverage of the presidential primary race. [14:35] herman Bergson: it is all about ratings, Areyn :-) [14:35] Areyn Laurasia: yay for Monty Python [14:35] NullSubset Burner: hehehe :) [14:35] Artemis Areille Amedee (jeanie4joy): media gives the people what they want instead of what we need [14:35] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Thank you, Red ㋡ will have a look at it [14:36] herman Bergson: I am checking my ratings here right now myself, for instance...:-) [14:36] Artemis Areille Amedee (jeanie4joy): well the vast majority [14:36] Arianne (ariannejp): So, the american people really want woman president? [14:37] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Germany has one [14:37] CB Axel: I am not going to vote for Hillary just because she has ovaries. :p [14:37] herman Bergson: I hope she is a philosopher...:-) [14:37] Artemis Areille Amedee (jeanie4joy): no we want a honest president that cares [14:37] Arianne (ariannejp): I respect prime minister Merkel [14:37] Artemis Areille Amedee (jeanie4joy): if it is a woman then yes [14:37] herman Bergson: No..go vote for trump because he has balls...is that it, CB? :-))))) [14:38] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): ㋡ [14:38] Mike Shaw (shawza.tunwarm): I Agree with Artemis! [14:38] CB Axel: I respect Merkel, too, even though I don't always agree with her. [14:38] Areyn Laurasia: an honest politician would be rare [14:38] illing Edman: Anna Maria van Schuurman had problems to go to university because one problem was she was married isn't ? [14:38] CB Axel: Herman, I think Hillary's may be bigger than Trumps. I think he's over compensating. °͜° [14:38] herman Bergson: contradictio in terminis Areyn :-)) [14:38] Q. Clavdivs Secvndvs Petilianvs (severusalexander): Merkel...hmm [14:38] Artemis Areille Amedee (jeanie4joy): we have a honest president now [14:39] herman Bergson: I agree CB :-) [14:39] Artemis Areille Amedee (jeanie4joy): he is good but our government is badly flawed [14:39] herman Bergson: Let's focus on women philosophers in stead of on american politics...plz :-) [14:39] CB Axel: And I blame the American public. [14:40] CB Axel: OK. Sorry, Herman. [14:40] Arianne (ariannejp): well, I must leave for preparing breakfast here in Japan, Thanks herman , nice lecture , I have big clap to you [14:40] CB Axel: Goodbye, Arianne. Thank you for coming. [14:41] Areyn Laurasia: enjoy breakfast [14:41] herman Bergson: my pint was to show you that women philosophers are at a disadvantage on the one hand, but that for instance the two women I mentioned had a real lasting effect on society...

[14:41] CB Axel nods [14:41] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Waves at Arianne ㋡ [14:41] herman Bergson: Sayonara Arianne :-) [14:41] CB Axel: Until women start being respected in all fields, things aren't going to change. [14:42] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): so women's quality overrules the quantity, Herman ㋡ [14:42] Areyn Laurasia: or we just jostle with the guys [14:42] herman Bergson: In the cases I mentioned, Chantal, definitely! [14:43] CB Axel: The cream will rise to the top. °͜° [14:44] herman Bergson: let me thank you all for you interest in this presentation and your participation in the debate... [14:44] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Thank you Herman ㋡ [14:44] Petrvs Cornelivs Silvanvs (peter.woody): thank you to you [14:44] Dodge Threebeards: thank you Herman for the excellent presentation [14:44] CB Axel: But do we need more outspoken women or do we need outspoken men to help change things? [14:44] CB Axel: Or both? [14:44] herman Bergson: My pleasure Dodge..:-) [14:44] Widget Whiteberry: that Hopkins link is very helpful for understanding how it works [14:45] CB Axel: I can't wait to check those out, Widget. [14:45] Dali Waverider: Thanks Herman for bringing an under-discussed topic to the fore. [14:45] herman Bergson: Thank you Dali [14:45] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Herman's PDF will be online as soon as possible [14:45] CB Axel: As bad as it is for women philosophers, it seems worse for women in the STEM fields. [14:45] herman Bergson: Yes indeed... [14:45] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): yes, I hear that a lot too, CB [14:45] Mike Shaw (shawza.tunwarm): Agreed. [14:46] Widget Whiteberry: it's bad for women in most fields not considered 'women's work' [14:46] Widget Whiteberry: and even there.... [14:46] herman Bergson: theo microbiology and neurobiology excepted CB :-) [14:46] herman Bergson: and neurosciences.. [14:46] Dali Waverider: A mind is a terrible thing to waste. I think it must be better in Europe for women academics. Herman, can you opine? [14:47] CB Axel: I had very little discrimination as a paramedic, really, and that's considered "men's work." [14:47] CB Axel: I may have been lucky, though. [14:47] Widget Whiteberry: my european friends say yes to that, Dali [14:47] herman Bergson: I have no dat a on it, Dali... [14:48] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Look at SC... how many women do we have compared to men? ㋡ [14:48] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): always has been an issue for me [14:49] herman Bergson: But we still discuss laws here to oblige companies etc to treat men and women equally...so absurd...but it is a fact [14:49] Dodge Threebeards: There are many women in the STEM areas in

universities at the entry level. Just give them 20 years [14:49] NullSubset Burner: Given the behaviour we have seen recently from a certain astronomer - couldn’t agree more CB Axel- how much good science has sexism and prejudice cost humanity? - shudders [14:50] herman Bergson: Yes NUll..we waste almost 50% of our intellectual capacity on this earth because of male dominance.. [14:50] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): the SC FB like page shows... our biggest audience are males above 45... thats disappointing [14:50] CB Axel: But men need to be the ones to speak out against that sort of thinking. [14:51] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): agrees CB... we need men to do that [14:51] herman Bergson: I do CB...:-) [14:51] CB Axel: Yes. You do, but not enough men, especially in the US, do it. [14:52] Mike Shaw (shawza.tunwarm): True. [14:52] herman Bergson: As long as guns are free in the US....guns are THE male thing...forget it, CB :-) [14:52] herman Bergson: The right to defend yourself they call it... [14:53] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): I teach my son to use words for that [14:53] illing Edman: but to be honest the list of female philosophers over the years is very long [14:53] CB Axel: I don't think guns cause this problem. I think the gun culture is a symptom of it. [14:53] herman Bergson: Indeed Chantal... [14:53] herman Bergson: Yes CB...they are symbolic for a kind of attitude... [14:54] Mike Shaw (shawza.tunwarm): A symptom, yes. Self-absorption and admiration of ignorance are another symptom [14:54] CB Axel: Yes. And men who don't feel like that need to grow the cajones to stand up to the neanderthals. [14:54] herman Bergson: From now on our discussion is off topic and free go go wherever..:-)) [14:55] Dodge Threebeards: smiles [14:55] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Feel free to join the audience, Herman ㋡ [14:55] Mike Shaw (shawza.tunwarm): :) [14:55] herman Bergson: No Chantal, let's first save the world! [14:55] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): will we make it in 2016? [14:55] Areyn Laurasia: but that's what dialogues do :) [14:55] herman Bergson: Right Areyn :-) [14:56] CB Axel: I do think things are getting better, but it's happening much too slowly. [14:56] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Listening does, really. So many people never learned to truly listen :( [14:56] CB Axel nods [14:56] herman Bergson: I have said it in other situations, CB....this idea of too slow... [14:56] herman Bergson: We are inclined to think of solutions to happen within a lifetime... [14:57] herman Bergson: jHowever, some solutions take centuries to be achieved :-) [14:57] CB Axel: Worse than that, Herman. We expect things to be solved in one election cycle.

[14:57] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): ㋡ [14:57] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): yes [14:57] herman Bergson: oh my... [14:58] CB Axel: It has taken centuries to get this messed up. It can't be solved in 4 years. [14:58] herman Bergson: That is the stupidity over here in the Netherlands too [14:58] CB Axel: Really? That's sad. [14:58] Dodge Threebeards: culture changes slowly, was interesting to watch computers enter into academia , took years to be accepted by all [14:58] herman Bergson: We have some politician here like Trump....a no more immigrants and so on... [14:59] herman Bergson: his popularity increases day by day... [14:59] CB Axel: End discrimination against computers in academia!!! [14:59] Dodge Threebeards: we did it, winks [14:59] Areyn Laurasia: did you see the one where they kick a robot? [14:59] CB Axel: I did see that, Areyn. [14:59] CB Axel: I had sympathy for the robot. [14:59] Areyn Laurasia: me too :) [14:59] CB Axel: Even though it can't feel. [15:00] herman Bergson: Thank you all :-)) [15:00] CB Axel: Thank you, Herman. [15:00] Mike Shaw (shawza.tunwarm): Thank you! [15:00] Areyn Laurasia: Thanks for the presentation [15:00] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): You too, Herman... you gave us food for thought ㋡ [15:00] Dodge Threebeards: I need to head out folks , thank you Herman , and take care [15:00] Areyn Laurasia: bye Dodge [15:00] Dali Waverider: Indeed. Thank you Herman [15:00] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Waves at Dodge ㋡ [15:00] CB Axel: Herman always encourages lively discussion. °͜° [15:01] Taj Badalandabad (festo): may i have a group tag pls? [15:01] Widget Whiteberry: me to, bye bye [15:01] Areyn Laurasia: bye Widget [15:01] CB Axel: I can't wait for the Philosophy Class to start up again. [15:01] Areyn Laurasia: :)) [15:01] Taj Badalandabad (festo): ty chantal [15:01] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Welcome to SC, Taj ㋡ [15:01] herman Bergson: Will start next Tuesday, CB... [15:01] CB Axel: Yay! [15:01] Chantal (nymf.hathaway): Enjoy your day, Red ㋡ [15:01] CB Axel: I'll put it in my diary. [15:01] Mike Shaw (shawza.tunwarm): Bye! [15:01] Areyn Laurasia: bye [15:02] Taj Badalandabad (festo): c u all at the next discussion [15:02] herman Bergson: I am honored CB :-)