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Mary Wollstonecraft's Definition

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Mary Wollstonecraft is best known as the author of A Vindication of the Rights of Women published in 1792. She is arguing against those who justify the suppression of women on the grounds that women are less rational and more impulsive and emotional than men. Wollstonecraft argues that all human beings, regardless of sex, are born as rational beings, and therefore have equal capabilities for rational thinking and acting. Wollstonecraft is a religious thinker and believes that God has created all humans with reason. To develop and cultivate one’s reason is therefore a duty everyone has to God. Women are not irrational by nature, but if they are denied education and basic political rights, they will become irrational and ignorant. This is precisely …show more content…

Wollstonecraft was inspired by John Locken`s model of consciousness as a tabula rasa (a blank blackboard) and argues that, because human consciousness is formed by experience and expectations, gender has to be a social construction She was also inspired by early modern theories of natural rights. She claims that every individual has some birthrights independent of any government. Locke defines life, liberty, health and property as birthrights; for Wollstonecraft, liberty is the most important birthright. Therefore, she is most often thought of as a pioneer for liberal feminist political theory (Holst 2009 …show more content…

Wollstonecraft`s critique of Jean-Jacques Rousseau`s ideas of K. Fjørtoft 259 education is important to understand the context of her own ideas on education. Wollstonecraft`s ideas on education and women’s rights are introduced by her attack on the English philosopher Edmund Burke ’s harsh criticism of the French Revolution. A Vindication of the Rights of Women in 1792, this work is considered to be the first feminist philosophical text and it has inspired many feminist social movements. In this text, she argues that women and men are equal and therefore, they should be treated and given the same opportunities. Furthermore, she argues that women only appear inferior because they are not given a proper education. She expresses the need for women to be educated to further their advancement in society. She recognizes and critiques education received by women during her time period by referring to it as unpractical and

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