"Rediscovery of work by previously recognized women philosophers:
Privacy, feminism, and moral responsibility in the Work of Elizabeth Lane Beardsley"

by Julie C. Van Camp

presented at the fall meeting of the Society for Women In Philosophy (SWIP)-UK
Goldsmiths College, University of London, October 27, 2006

ABSTRACT

I consider why women philosophers, once identified and given recognition, too often seem to drop from the intellectual radar screen or, at least, to drop mainly to the land of footnotes and bibliographies. Are they disappearing any more than men of comparable stature from their generation? Is there anything we can do about this? Can we do more than excavate and recognize women in philosophy? What can we do to continue and enhance their presence in the historic dialogue of philosophy?

I consider one distinguished moral philosopher, Elizabeth Lane Beardsley, who died in 1990, both to highlight her philosophical contributions and as a case study that suggests more widespread problems in recognizing the work of such female philosophers and ensuring their rightful place in our professional dialogue. Her career was not atypical for women of her generation, achieving a tenure-track position late in life, yet still managing to publish work in respected journals throughout her career.

I highlight several aspects of her work that have continuing significance for professional dialogue today, including feminist work on genderized language, important work in moral philosophy (especially on moral responsibility, deserts, and blaming), and work on what today we might call applied or practical ethics (mandatory sentencing, privacy, moral obligations of government).

I consider sociological and professional factors which might partially explain why work by women philosophers has not always received the attention in the professional dialogue it might otherwise deserve. These factors include their under-representation in top departments where they would train doctoral students who themselves go on to sustain and expand their influence. Often laboring in temporary appointments, with limited professional support, women in philosophy had special hurdles to their research, publication, and recognition. Even with the persistent efforts of contemporary philosophers to highlight their contributions, the continued elevation of their ideas in contemporary dialogue seems unduly limited by their lack of certain tentacles of influence, such as students who themselves go on to teach at prestigious schools, hold important positions in professional associations, and draw attention in various citation rankings.

I conclude with some modest suggestions about the efforts that we can make to address these problems, including the organization of readings for our own courses, the sources consulted for our own research and writing, and the preservation of records of meetings and other public gatherings that recognize women philosophers.

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Last updated: October 30, 2006