Women Philosophers of the Early Modern Period [Hardcover]

Margaret Atherton (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1994 | ISBN-10: 0872202607 | ISBN-13: 978-0872202603

An important collection from the largely unknown writings of women philosophers of the early modern period. Each selection is prefaced by a headnote giving a biographical account of its author and setting the piece in historical context. Atherton's Introduction provides a solid framework for assessing these works and their place in modern philosophy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A very useful collection, welcome both for the intrinsic merit and historical significance of the ideas and arguments the volume contains, and for its pedaogical potential. -- Peter Loptson, Canadian Philosphial Reviews

About the Author

Margaret Atherton, Editor

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Hackett Pub Co Inc (October 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0872202607
• ISBN-13: 978-0872202603
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,177,262 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars INSIGHTFUL PRESENTATION OF SEVEN WOMEN PHILOSOPHERS, October 13, 2009

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Steven H. Propp (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Women Philosophers of the Early Modern Period (Paperback)

Margaret Atherton has written and compiled an excellent introduction to the work of a number of women philosphers of the 17th and 18th centuries.

The book contains a biographical introduction, followed with selections from one of the works of seven women philosophers: Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia, Margaret Cavendish, Anne Viscountess Conway, Damaria Cudworth (Lady Masham), Mary Astell, Catherine Trotter Cockburn, and Lady Mary Shepherd.

Atherton's own comments are frequently insightful: "Perhaps it is also unusual that only one of these women, Catherine Trotter Cockburn, was the mother of a large family. The others were either childless or had only one child."

The book contains numerous historical "nuggets," as well. For example, Atherton notes that "Descartes' "Passions of the Soul" is said to derive from his conversations with Elisabeth (of Bohemia), and he thought sufficiently well of her to dedicate his magnum opus, René Descartes: Principles of Philosophy: Translation with Explanatory Notes (Synthese Historical Library), to her." She notes that Leibniz also wrote that "My philosophical views approach somewhat closely those of the late Countess of Conway."

This is an excellent selection and introduction to this group of women philosophers.