"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
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