A History of Women Philosophers

edited by Mary Ellen Waithe Series: HISTORY OF WOMEN PHILOSOPHERS volume: 1 This first volume in a set of four chronicles the contributions women have made to that most abstract of intellectual disciplines, philosophy. Translations of the aphorisms of Theano, the feminist ethical writings of Theano II, Phintys and Perictione, the socio-political theory of Aesara of Lucania and the Sophias of Perictione II demonstrate that women have been philosophers since circa 600 B.C. A chapter on Aspasia, author of the Epitaphia reported by Socrates in Plato's Menexenus, describes her role as a rhetorician. This volume challenges the view that Diotima was not a philosopher but was Plato's only fictitious character. The discussion of Hypatia's Commentaries on Diophantus and on Ptolemy belies the Suda's claim that all of her writings have perished. Chapters on Makrina's Christian philosophy and on Julia Domna's philosophic circle testify to ancient women's philosophical enterprises. A chapter describing the philosophic schools headed by Arete of Cyrene and by Asclepigenia, as well as the philosophic activities of Cleobuline of Rhodes, Hipparchia, Axiothea and Lasthenia completes the survey of ancient women's philosophical legacy. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht April 1987 256 pp. Hardbound Dfl.169.00 BrP.67.50 April 1987 256 pp. Paperback Dfl.56.00 BrP.22.50