Women in Philosophy

At our last PIP’s meeting a comment was made about the disproportionate attendance of male to female attendees, so for our next discussion on 25th March this will be the topic: Women in Philosophy

Throughout history, philosophy has shaped the way humanity thinks about truth, reason, morality, and society itself. Yet, for centuries, the voices that defined these ideas were overwhelmingly from a limited demographic. Those who did not fit within dominant intellectual circles were often dismissed, ridiculed, or outright excluded from formal education and philosophical discourse. Some, like Hypatia of Alexandria, faced violence for their contributions. Others, like Mary Wollstonecraft, had to struggle to be recognised in a world that presumed intellectual rigour belonged to certain groups.

Imagine, for a moment, a world where this had not been the case. A world where Plato’s Academy and Aristotle’s Lyceum welcomed all as equals. Where medieval scholars debated not just Augustine and Aquinas but also the works of underrepresented thinkers. Where the Enlightenment was driven not only by Rousseau, Kant, and Locke but also by those who viewed human rights, justice, and reason through a broader and more inclusive lens.

Would philosophy itself look different? Would our societies?