A History of Women Philosophers: Medieval, Renaissance and Enlightenment Women Philosophers A.D. 500-1600

ISBN-13: 9789024735716 / Angielski / Twarda / 1989 / 349 str.

Mary Ellen Waithe; M. E. Waithe

Opis

aspirations, the rise of western monasticism was the most note- worthy event of the early centuries. The importance of monasteries cannot be overstressed as sources of spirituality, learning and auto- nomy in the intensely masculinized, militarized feudal period. Drawing their members from the highest levels of society, women's monasteries provided an outlet for the energy and ambition of strong-willed women, as well as positions of considerable authority. Even from periods relatively inhospitable to learning of all kinds, the memory has been preserved of a good number of women of education. Their often considerable achievements and influence, however, generally lie outside even an expanded definition of philo- sophy. Among the most notable foremothers of this early period were several whose efforts signal the possibility of later philosophical work. Radegund, in the sixth century, established one of the first Frankish convents, thereby laying the foundations for women's spiritual and intellectual development. From these beginnings, women's monasteries increased rapidly in both number and in- fluence both on the continent and in Anglo-Saxon England. Hilda (d. 680) is well known as the powerful abbsess of the double monastery of Whitby. She was eager for knowledge, and five Eng- lish bishops were educated under her tutelage. She is also accounted the patron of Caedmon, the first Anglo-Saxon poet of religious verse. The Anglo-Saxon nun Lioba was versed in the liberal arts as well as Scripture and canon law.

Spis treści

1. Murasaki Shikibu.- 1. Introduction.- II. Background.- 1. Shint?.- 2. Buddhism.- 3. Philosophical Evolution.- 4. Women.- III. Biography.- IV. Writings.- 1. Ukifune.- 2. Existentialism.- V. Summary.- 2. Hildegard of Bingen.- I. Biography.- II. Works.- 1. Liber Scivias.- 2. Liber Vitae Meritorum.- 3. Liber Divinorum Operum.- 4. Writings on Nature.- 5. Other Works.- III. The Special Nuances of Hildegard’s Image of God and of the Human Being.- 1. The Image of God.- 2. The Human Being as God’s Image.- 3. Gender Symbolism.- 4. The Strength of Female Weakness.- 5. Woman and Wisdom.- 6. The Weakness of Male Strength.- IV. Conclusion.- 3. Heloise.- I. Biography.- II. Heloise the Scholar.- 1. Intellectual Background.- 2. Authenticity of Epistolae and Problemata.- III. Philosophy.- 1. Philosophy of Love.- 2. Material and Moral Responsibility.- 3. Views on Marriage.- IV. Summary.- 4. Herrad of Hohenbourg.- I. Introduction.- II. Hortus Deliciarum.- III. Philosophical Contributions.- 1. Cosmology.- 2. The Nature of Philosophy.- IV. Summary.- 5. Beatrice of Nazareth.- I. Biography.- 1. Early Mystical Experiences.- 2. Trinitarian Visions.- 3. Love of God and Love of Self in the Visions.- II. Works.- 1. The Seven Modes of Sacred Love.- 2. Lost Works.- III. Conclusion.- 6. Mechtild of Magdeburg.- I. Background.- II. Biography.- III. Works.- IV. Influences.- V. Metaphysics and Cosmology.- 1. Creation.- 2. Relation of Creation to God.- 3. The Image of God.- 4. Union.- VI. Anthropology and Epistemology.- 1. Senses and Knowledge.- 2. The Progression of Knowledge.- 3. Discernment and Recognition.- 4. The Interdependence of the Forms of Knowledge.- VII. Ethics.- VIII. Summary.- 7. Hadewych of Antwerp.- I. Background.- II. Biography.- III. Hadewych’s Doctrine.- 1. Hadewych’s Concept of God.- 2. Hadewych’s Concept of Man.- IV. Works.- 1. Visions.- 2. Letters.- 3. Poems.- V. Conclusion.- 8. Birgitta of Sweden.- I. Biography.- 1. Asceticism.- 2. Political Activity.- 3. Education.- II. Birgitta’s Writings.- 1. Relevationes.- 2. Sermo Angelicus.- 3. The Orationes.- III. Birgitta’s Doctrine.- 1. Historical Background of Birgitta’s Mariology.- 2. Birgitta’s Doctrine on Mary.- 3. Concept of God.- 4. Birgitta’s Doctrine on the Trinity.- 5. Concept of Human Nature.- 6. Political Thought.- IV. Summary.- 9. Julian of Norwich.- I. Biography.- II. The Nature of Knowledge.- 1. The Possibility of Knowing God.- 2. What Can be Known of God.- 3. Knowing Through Christ.- III. The Sources of Religious Knowledge.- 1. Visions and Certainty.- 2. The Church as a Source of Truth.- 3. Reason as a Source of Knowledge.- IV. The Limits of Knowledge.- 1. Incompleteness.- 2. Discouragement.- 3. Other Human Imperfections.- 4. “Not Showns”.- V. Concluding Remarks.- 1. On the Value of Knowledge.- 2. On Julian’s Influence.- 3. On a Further Research Agenda.- 4. Summary.- 10. Catherine of Siena.- I. Biography.- 11. Doctrine of Catherine of Siena.- 1. Love and Free Will.- 2. Freedom and Grace.- 3. Virtue and Salvation.- 4. The Importance of Intelligence and Reason.- 5. The Role of Divine Providence.- 6. The Perfection of the Soul.- 7. The Doctrine of Tears.- 8. The Christian Virtues.- 9. Poverty as a Spiritual Virtue.- 10. Suffering.- III. The Writings of Catherine of Siena.- 1. Letters.- 2. Il Dialogo.- 3. The Orazioni.- IV. Summary.- 11. Oliva Sabuco de Nantes Barrera.- I. Background.- 1. Galen.- 2. 16th Century Spanish Medicine.- 3. Juan Huarte de San Juan.- 4. Gomez Pereyra.- II. Biography.- III. Influence.- IV. Writings.- 1. Self-Knowledge.- 2. Cosmology, Metaphysics and Medicine.- 3. Imagination.- 4. Moral Psychology and Medicine.- 5. Philosophy of Medicine.- V. A Question of Authorship.- 12. Marie le Jars de Gournay.- I. Biography.- II. Literary Works.- III. Philosophical Works.- 1. Editions of Montaigne’s Essays.- 2. Essays on Morality.- 3. Feminist Essays.- IV. Conclusion.- 13. Roswitha of Gandersheim, Christine Pisan, Margaret More Roper and Teresa of Avila.- I. Introduction.- II. Roswitha of Gandersheim.- III. Christine Pisan.- IV. Margaret More Roper.- V. Teresa of Avila.- VI. Conclusions.