Misogyny in the Western Philosophical Tradition : A Reader

The Devil's gateway' (Tertullian); 'Big children their whole life long' (Schopenhauer); 'The misbegotten male' (Aquinas). Such understandings of women are shocking, not least because they come from the great minds responsible for the formation of the western intellectual tradition. In this collection, the roots of philosophical misogyny are explored and exposed. At times disturbing, at times funny, this anthology comprises a variety of texts. Lesser-known authors such as Otto Weininger and Oswald Spengler are placed alongside well-known pieces from Plato, The Malleus Maleficarum , Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. As such, this is an important addition to the collection of those interested in exploring the relationship between women and society, women and the academy.