(no subject)
Karina Roberts
Women in Philosophy
4/10/07
Simone de Beauvoir was a french philosopher, with new and sometimes unpopular views on women, life, and women's roles in life. Simone de Beuavoir was an outspoken woman, who was not afraid to state her opinion to any and everyone who would listen. She stood by her beliefs despite what society believed and viewed as proper and improper. She was best known for her alleged affair with fellow philosopher John Paul Sartre.
Simone Lucie-Ernestine-Marie-Bertrand de Beauvoir was born on January ninth in the year 1908, in Paris, France. Simone de Beauvoir was born into a bourgeois family. Her father, Georges Bertrand de Beauvoir was a lawyer of little means. His wealth declined after World War I. Beauvoir's mother, born Françoise Brasseur was an extremly religious Roman Catholic. Being such a devout Roman Catholic, Beauvoir's mother raised her and her sister in a very strict and traditional manner. As an adolescent, Simone rejected her mother's strict rules and teachings on her families religious and social values.
Beauvoir was first educated at a Catholic school for girls. Then she went on to study philosophy at the Sorbonne. The Sorbonne was later named the University of Paris, and most attending were theology students who could not afford schooling otherwise. While attending La Sorbonne, she met Jean-Paul Sarte 1928, who would prove to be a lifelong friend and companion. At the age of twenty one, Beauvoir passed the extremly difficult final examination at her school. The test was known as the agrégation. The agrégation is a civil service examination that is very competitive, and used for aquiring positions in the french public education system. Due to her doing so well on the examination, Beauvoir gained the respect and admiration of Sarte; so much so to become his most trustworthy critic. He would often give Beauvoir his new manuscripts to read before sending them off to the publishers. Despite being one of Sartre's most valued associates and a college graduate, Beauvoir's parents did not support or encourage the idea of a woman stepping outside of her boundaries. It is said that if her father could have afforded to do so, he would have given Beauvoir a dowry.
After graduating from La Sorbonne, Beauvoir went on to teach philosophy at many different schools in Marseille, Rouen, and Paris. Beauvoir taught as a professor at the Sorbonne from 1941 to 1943. She only stopped her work as a professor at the Sorbonne because the German authorities demanded her to do so.
Sartre and Beauvoir met in Paris in 1929. At the time he was also studying for the agrégation. When they first met Beauvoir had a boyfriend Rene Maheu. Once got passed Sarte's odd physical impression she fell in love him. Sarte had been engaged but broke it off after failing his first attemt at the agrégation. He and Beauvoir made the decision not to wed. They didn't need to get married because they felt that their love was strong enough. "The calmradeship that weleded our lives together made us superfluous mockery of any other bond we might have forged for ourselves." This was explained by Beauvoir in her work "The Prime of Life." The technicalities of their relationship was proposed by Sartre; a pact of sorts. They allowed eachother to have affairs but had to tell the other who with and the extent of the encounter. As Sartre said to Beauvoir: "What we have is an essential love; but it is a good idea for us also to experience contingent love affairs." This was new to Beauvoir because up until the point her entire life hasd been an effort to escape from the values of her family. Both enjoyed other affairs but the remained committed to their pact and relationship which lasted fifty-one years.
When the war had come to an end Beauvoir, along with Raymond Aron and Jean-Paul Sartre, founded a monthly review called Les Temps Modernes. This monthly review was the most prominent and popular forum for radical philisophical and extreme political debates. Les Temps Modernes held this title for twenty-five years. Beauvoirs first book L'Invitée, was published in 1943. It was a work of fiction loosely based on an affair that Sartre had with one of Beauvoir's female lovers sisters. One of Beauvoir's more recognizable works The Second Sex written in 1949.
The past few decades The Second Sex and Simone Beavoir herself have been exceedingly scrutinzed by feminist philosophers. Many of the feminists that read Beauvoir's works read them with equality and economic freedoms in mind. What these feminists failed realize was that when Beauvoir wrote these pieces the culture of society and thinking was different. Beauvoirs writings are more feminist friendly if read in the context of a time where women were told what to do, who to marry and when to have children.
After reading excerpts from Beavoir's The Second Sex I agreee with her views for the most part. The following quote is one of my favorite of hers; it embodies the message in The Second Sex. "If a woman has false ideas, if she is not very intelligent, clear-sighted, or courageous, a man does not hold her responsible: she is the victim, he thinks--and often with reason--of her situation. He dreams of what she might have been, of what she perhaps will be: she can be credited with any possibilities, because she is nothing in particular. This vacancy is what makes the lover weary of her quickly; but it is the source of the mystery, the charm, that seudces him and makes him inclined to feel an easy affection in the first place." Here, Beauvoir shows the common view or reasoning behind the treatment of women. She beautifully explains the process and realationship between man and women. She explains why men are drawn to women in the first place; what attracts them, keeps them, and eventually turns them away. The thing about this quote that I like the best is Beauvoir's claim that a man assumes or believes that the woman is the victim of her situation, and somehow not responsible. This helps explain why men bahve the way that they do towards women; it explains their thoguhts and treatment of women. A man feels like a woman needs protecting and rescuing. To him, woman is a black canvas ready and waiting for his insturction and guidance.
Another popular view of Beauvoir was the concept of The Other. The idea that there is a subject, or the more important individual; the One. Then there is the other, the secondary; less important individual or thing. Clearly in regards to the sexes, man is the subject or the One, and woman is the object or the Other. Beauvoir states that women assume the role of Other or object; they accept this placement without any argument or a real fight. She points out that no one in the position of One will willingly or voluntarily give up their place and become the Other. Beauvoir says that women must push and demand the position of One; they rightfully deserve it. I agree because there is no reason for women to be the lesser ones; no reason why women can not be the One or the subject rather than the Object or the Other.
Beauvoir does not absolve women of the blame though. "If women seems to be the inessential which never becomes the essential, it is because she herself fails to bring about this change." As women we must fight for change constantly and consistently. "The women's effort has never been anything more than symbolic agitation. They have gained only what men have been willing to grant; they have taken nothing, they have only recieved." This excerpt from The Second Sex brings light to an extreme problem that could be solved more easily than some assume. As a society it is much easier to be helpless and hopeless towards the problem and inequality women face. Women are the biggest offenders when it comes to this problem. They take the stand that the problem is bigger than they are. It is true that women as a whole have no real joining force, other than this cause, to help them fight together as one. Although this is a valid point, it is not a strong enough reason as women to not try to change things, truly and actively. I agree with Beauvoir's thinking that women must make a real effort to change things, and take what is owed to them. No one, especially a person in a higher or more powerful posistion, is going to freely give up their status and power. Women must demand, not ask; take, not wait to be given to; and take action, not wait for someone else to bring about changes.
died April 14, 1986, Paris, France
Women in Philosophy
4/10/07
Simone de Beauvoir was a french philosopher, with new and sometimes unpopular views on women, life, and women's roles in life. Simone de Beuavoir was an outspoken woman, who was not afraid to state her opinion to any and everyone who would listen. She stood by her beliefs despite what society believed and viewed as proper and improper. She was best known for her alleged affair with fellow philosopher John Paul Sartre.
Simone Lucie-Ernestine-Marie-Bertrand de Beauvoir was born on January ninth in the year 1908, in Paris, France. Simone de Beauvoir was born into a bourgeois family. Her father, Georges Bertrand de Beauvoir was a lawyer of little means. His wealth declined after World War I. Beauvoir's mother, born Françoise Brasseur was an extremly religious Roman Catholic. Being such a devout Roman Catholic, Beauvoir's mother raised her and her sister in a very strict and traditional manner. As an adolescent, Simone rejected her mother's strict rules and teachings on her families religious and social values.
Beauvoir was first educated at a Catholic school for girls. Then she went on to study philosophy at the Sorbonne. The Sorbonne was later named the University of Paris, and most attending were theology students who could not afford schooling otherwise. While attending La Sorbonne, she met Jean-Paul Sarte 1928, who would prove to be a lifelong friend and companion. At the age of twenty one, Beauvoir passed the extremly difficult final examination at her school. The test was known as the agrégation. The agrégation is a civil service examination that is very competitive, and used for aquiring positions in the french public education system. Due to her doing so well on the examination, Beauvoir gained the respect and admiration of Sarte; so much so to become his most trustworthy critic. He would often give Beauvoir his new manuscripts to read before sending them off to the publishers. Despite being one of Sartre's most valued associates and a college graduate, Beauvoir's parents did not support or encourage the idea of a woman stepping outside of her boundaries. It is said that if her father could have afforded to do so, he would have given Beauvoir a dowry.
After graduating from La Sorbonne, Beauvoir went on to teach philosophy at many different schools in Marseille, Rouen, and Paris. Beauvoir taught as a professor at the Sorbonne from 1941 to 1943. She only stopped her work as a professor at the Sorbonne because the German authorities demanded her to do so.
Sartre and Beauvoir met in Paris in 1929. At the time he was also studying for the agrégation. When they first met Beauvoir had a boyfriend Rene Maheu. Once got passed Sarte's odd physical impression she fell in love him. Sarte had been engaged but broke it off after failing his first attemt at the agrégation. He and Beauvoir made the decision not to wed. They didn't need to get married because they felt that their love was strong enough. "The calmradeship that weleded our lives together made us superfluous mockery of any other bond we might have forged for ourselves." This was explained by Beauvoir in her work "The Prime of Life." The technicalities of their relationship was proposed by Sartre; a pact of sorts. They allowed eachother to have affairs but had to tell the other who with and the extent of the encounter. As Sartre said to Beauvoir: "What we have is an essential love; but it is a good idea for us also to experience contingent love affairs." This was new to Beauvoir because up until the point her entire life hasd been an effort to escape from the values of her family. Both enjoyed other affairs but the remained committed to their pact and relationship which lasted fifty-one years.
When the war had come to an end Beauvoir, along with Raymond Aron and Jean-Paul Sartre, founded a monthly review called Les Temps Modernes. This monthly review was the most prominent and popular forum for radical philisophical and extreme political debates. Les Temps Modernes held this title for twenty-five years. Beauvoirs first book L'Invitée, was published in 1943. It was a work of fiction loosely based on an affair that Sartre had with one of Beauvoir's female lovers sisters. One of Beauvoir's more recognizable works The Second Sex written in 1949.
The past few decades The Second Sex and Simone Beavoir herself have been exceedingly scrutinzed by feminist philosophers. Many of the feminists that read Beauvoir's works read them with equality and economic freedoms in mind. What these feminists failed realize was that when Beauvoir wrote these pieces the culture of society and thinking was different. Beauvoirs writings are more feminist friendly if read in the context of a time where women were told what to do, who to marry and when to have children.
After reading excerpts from Beavoir's The Second Sex I agreee with her views for the most part. The following quote is one of my favorite of hers; it embodies the message in The Second Sex. "If a woman has false ideas, if she is not very intelligent, clear-sighted, or courageous, a man does not hold her responsible: she is the victim, he thinks--and often with reason--of her situation. He dreams of what she might have been, of what she perhaps will be: she can be credited with any possibilities, because she is nothing in particular. This vacancy is what makes the lover weary of her quickly; but it is the source of the mystery, the charm, that seudces him and makes him inclined to feel an easy affection in the first place." Here, Beauvoir shows the common view or reasoning behind the treatment of women. She beautifully explains the process and realationship between man and women. She explains why men are drawn to women in the first place; what attracts them, keeps them, and eventually turns them away. The thing about this quote that I like the best is Beauvoir's claim that a man assumes or believes that the woman is the victim of her situation, and somehow not responsible. This helps explain why men bahve the way that they do towards women; it explains their thoguhts and treatment of women. A man feels like a woman needs protecting and rescuing. To him, woman is a black canvas ready and waiting for his insturction and guidance.
Another popular view of Beauvoir was the concept of The Other. The idea that there is a subject, or the more important individual; the One. Then there is the other, the secondary; less important individual or thing. Clearly in regards to the sexes, man is the subject or the One, and woman is the object or the Other. Beauvoir states that women assume the role of Other or object; they accept this placement without any argument or a real fight. She points out that no one in the position of One will willingly or voluntarily give up their place and become the Other. Beauvoir says that women must push and demand the position of One; they rightfully deserve it. I agree because there is no reason for women to be the lesser ones; no reason why women can not be the One or the subject rather than the Object or the Other.
Beauvoir does not absolve women of the blame though. "If women seems to be the inessential which never becomes the essential, it is because she herself fails to bring about this change." As women we must fight for change constantly and consistently. "The women's effort has never been anything more than symbolic agitation. They have gained only what men have been willing to grant; they have taken nothing, they have only recieved." This excerpt from The Second Sex brings light to an extreme problem that could be solved more easily than some assume. As a society it is much easier to be helpless and hopeless towards the problem and inequality women face. Women are the biggest offenders when it comes to this problem. They take the stand that the problem is bigger than they are. It is true that women as a whole have no real joining force, other than this cause, to help them fight together as one. Although this is a valid point, it is not a strong enough reason as women to not try to change things, truly and actively. I agree with Beauvoir's thinking that women must make a real effort to change things, and take what is owed to them. No one, especially a person in a higher or more powerful posistion, is going to freely give up their status and power. Women must demand, not ask; take, not wait to be given to; and take action, not wait for someone else to bring about changes.
died April 14, 1986, Paris, France