Mary Astell: Theorist of Freedom from DominationPhilosopher, theologian, educational theorist, feminist and political pamphleteer, Mary Astell was an important figure in the history of ideas of the early modern period. Among the first systematic critics of John Locke's entire corpus, she is best known for the famous question which prefaces her Reflections on Marriage: 'If all men are born free, how is it that all women are born slaves?' She is claimed by modern Republican theorists and feminists alike but, as a Royalist High Church Tory, the peculiar constellation of her views sits uneasily with modern commentators. Patricia Springborg's study addresses these apparent paradoxes, recovering the historical and philosophical contexts to her thought. She shows that Astell was not alone in her views; rather, she was part of a cohort of early modern women philosophers who were important for the reception of Descartes and who grappled with the existential problems of a new age. |
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Page 2
... critical literature rarely does justice to the extraordinary range of her thought or treats in sufficient detail her substantive arguments to resolve this prima facie problem . This book tries to remedy this deficit , at the same time ...
... critical literature rarely does justice to the extraordinary range of her thought or treats in sufficient detail her substantive arguments to resolve this prima facie problem . This book tries to remedy this deficit , at the same time ...
Page 3
... critical reader , who deems my claim to be ' hugely inflated and unsustainable ' , supports his / her argument in the following way : ' In part , the problem is that Springborg does not have a sufficient sense of prac- tical politics ...
... critical reader , who deems my claim to be ' hugely inflated and unsustainable ' , supports his / her argument in the following way : ' In part , the problem is that Springborg does not have a sufficient sense of prac- tical politics ...
Page 4
... critical political and constitutional issues . If Astell is not simply a feminist , she is not simply a political pam- phleteer either . She brings to the political stage a peculiar constella- tion of philosophical and theological views ...
... critical political and constitutional issues . If Astell is not simply a feminist , she is not simply a political pam- phleteer either . She brings to the political stage a peculiar constella- tion of philosophical and theological views ...
Page 10
... owners of small domes- tic businesses , than in Europe , which suffered from ' housewifization ' much earlier.28 But at critical political junctures women burst onto 10 Introduction : Astell and Early Modern Feminism.
... owners of small domes- tic businesses , than in Europe , which suffered from ' housewifization ' much earlier.28 But at critical political junctures women burst onto 10 Introduction : Astell and Early Modern Feminism.
Page 11
... critical to the rise and fall of ministries , as we shall see . In some genres women were consistently present , as novelists , poets and letter writers . Feminist interventions in the history of philoso- phy , more often than not ...
... critical to the rise and fall of ministries , as we shall see . In some genres women were consistently present , as novelists , poets and letter writers . Feminist interventions in the history of philoso- phy , more often than not ...
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argued argument Astell's Bishop Cambridge Platonism Cambridge Platonists Cambridge University Press Cartesian Charles Christian Religion cited civil claim Clarendon Concerning the Love constitutional critique Damaris Damaris Masham debate Defoe Descartes Discourse Dissenters divine doctrine Drake early modern edition Ellenzweig England English feminist Filmer Folger Library freedom from domination Glorious Revolution Goldie Head in St High Church History Hobbes and Locke Hobbes's Ibid ideas Impartial Enquiry James John Locke Judith Drake king King's Head Ladies Leslie Liberty before Liberalism Locke's Two Treatises Lockean London Lord Malebranche Mary Astell Masham Milton mind Moderation Truly monarchy natural rights Norris Norris's notion occasional conformity Oxford pamphlet Parliament patriarchalism Paul's Church-yard philosophical Printed published Quentin Skinner reason reference Reflections upon Marriage religious republican rhetorical Roman Sacheverell Serious Proposal sermon Shaftesbury Short-Ways Skinner slavery social contract soul Stillingfleet theory things Thomas Hobbes tion toleration Treatises of Government Whig William women