Alexa Games // Women in Philosophy // Part 2 of 3

Women in Philosophy

Part 2 of 3

In this post, I’d like to highlight two historical female philosophers, Fanny Wright and Harriet Martineau, and their ideas and the contributions that they made to the generally male dominated realm of philosophy. Both women were extremely important, and while controversial during their time, made strides for gender equality and women’s rights, as well as encouraging secularism and free-thinking.

“Let us unite on the safe and sure ground of fact and experiment, and we can never err; yet better, we can never differ.”

Fanny Wright

(September 6, 1795 – December 13, 1852)

Frances Wright (or Fanny, as she liked to be called) was born in Scotland in 1795, and orphaned at a very young age. Her parents left her a large fortune, and she remained under the care of her Aunt, being raised in both England and Scotland, and in the homes of various family and friends – one of which was the Scottish philosopher James Milne. Fanny vigorously pursued her philosophical studies, and by the age of 18 she had written her first book. After traveling to America and visiting New Harmony, Indiana (a socialist community, founded by Robert Owen), she decided to buy land in America and started her own co-operative community to help transition slaves into being self-sufficient after being emancipated, although the community failed to blossom, and was abandoned in 1828.

Wright was an advocate of many ideas that were quite radical during her time, such as universal equality between genders and races, feminism, sexual freedom for women (and was an advocate for birth control), and free public education. Wright was recognized and loved by famous and important male figures of the time, such as Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, both of which invited Fanny to their homes.

Wright was also the co-founder of the Free Inquirer newspaper, along with Owen. Wright used this publication to share and inform the readers of her opinions and philosophical beliefs, as well as addressing other areas of social reform. In 1829, Fanny bought a church in New York City, which she converted into what she called the Hall of Science, which celebrated free-thought and provided a venue for lectures, debates, and other special events.

“Knowledge signifies things known. Where there are no things known, there is no knowledge. Where there are no things to be known, there can be no knowledge. We have observed that every science, that is, every branch of knowledge, is compounded of certain facts, of which our sensations furnish the evidence. Where no such evidence is supplied, we are without data; we are without first premises; and when, without these, we attempt to build up a science, we do as those who raise edifices without foundations. And what do such builders construct? Castles in the air.”

-        Frances Wright 

“It is my deliberate opinion that the one essential requisite of human welfare in all ways is scientific knowledge of human nature.”

Harriet Martineau

(12 June 1802 – 27 June 1876)

Harriet Martineau was born in England, and raised as a Unitarian in a family of 8 children. She was encouraged by her mother to be well read and educated, and had a very similar education of that of her brothers, but yet was to remain in her place as a women of society and not allowed to attend a university, and had a very strained, unaffectionate relationship with her mother due to this. She had an article published anonymously on this very topic, titled “On Female Education”, which one of her brothers read without knowing that it was his sister who had written it. Upon his discovery of the article’s author, he encouraged his sister to give up her domestic duties and pursue writing.

Harriet continued her writing career, writing a series of articles, and then later book illuminating social reform and various other topics for the common reader, which were highly successful and allowed her to become not only financially independent but quite wealthy. This financial freedom allowed her to travel extensively, including trips not only to America but to the Mideast to study religion, in which time she became an atheist. Martineau was a strong supporter of abolitionism and women’s rights, and through her writing became famous for her support of these efforts.

“A soul occupied with great ideas performs small duties.”

-        Harriet Martineau

Both Wright and Martineau had similar ideas about social reform and women’s rights, and it is because these outspoken women set the stage that women are in the position to be taken seriously as philosophers and thinkers in our modern world. Both Wright and Martineau had very similar views t­­­o those who would be considered feminists today, showing that they were both ahead of their time in their ideologies. Not only did these women express their ideas, but their written work helped to spread and preserve their principles, and by doing this they gained the respect of their fellow male philosophers.

Next…

I’ll highlight two of the many important and influential modern female philosophers.  
Stay tuned!­