Philosoraptors (H1)

Ringlets and Beards

It has a bunch of names and facts throughout the chapter, but it all boils down to women's rights and the abolition of slavery. All the philosophers mentioned denounced religion in favor of philosophy and claim that religion is a bad institution that feeds on the poor and superstitious and deals out punishment to innocent men, women, and children. The ringlets refer to free-thinking women and the beards refer to the male philosophers. Apparently hair styles dictate one's beliefs, or lack thereof.

Anne Newport Royall

Believed that the more enlightened one is, the less they will turn toward superstition, or religion, for answers. She wrote Black Book which exposed religion as preying on the poor and superstitious.

Jeremy Bentham

Suggested we stop arguing over good vs. evil and figure out a way to bring the greatest pleasure to the greatest number. He was also homies with James Mill and educated his son, John Stuart Mill.

John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor

They were married and worked cooperatively to produce books, usually under John Mill's authorship since women were not respected at the time. They wrote On Liberty, which states the government should not interfere with citizens unless they are harming others. "People should be able to smoke opium if they please."

Harriet Martineau

She gave speeches on atheism and said she was happiest when she fully denounced religion. She was a big name in the women's rights movement as well.

Francis "Fanny" Wright

She formed a literary and philosophical club to exchange ideas. She also bought an old church and turned it into a science hall. Proponent of science and philosophy and denounced religion.

Ernestine Rose

Studied the Torah under her father who was a Rabbi. She denounced religion at the age of 14 and went on to give speeches about anti-slavery and women's rights. "Books and opinions that are in opposition to human rights are nothing but dead letters."

Karl Marx

believed that philosophy should not answer to religion. People had religion to suppress the bad things in life. If they had better lives, they would have less use for religion. Marxism parallels many aspects of religion, but is used in a secular approach to a socialist utopia.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony

Both had similar views, but expressed them in different ways. Elizabeth Stanton had family obligations, so her views were less heard of than Susan B. Anthony's. they were both proponents of anti-slavery and women's rights. Stanton criticized the Bible for its views on women and produced The Women's Bible which stirred a lot of controversy.

Factual Q: Who wrote On liberty and what is a main point of that text?

A: John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor wrote it and it focused on government intervention on individual's rights. (Government should not intervene unless a citizen harms another.)

Discussion Q: Do you believe that people should be free to do whatever they want as long as it does not harm others? Under the assumption that everyone will agree, here is another question: Why is marijuana still illegal??