Philosophy, Adversarial Argumentation, and Embattled Reason

Informal Logic 30 (3):203-234 (2010)
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Abstract

Philosophy’s adversarial argumentation style is often noted as a factor contributing to the low numbers of women in philosophy. I argue that there is a level of adversariality peculiar to philosophy that merits specific feminist examination, yet doesn’t assume controversial gender differences claims. The dominance of the argument-as-war metaphor is not warranted, since this metaphor misconstrues the epistemic role of good argument as a tool of rational persuasion. This metaphor is entangled with the persisting narrative of embattled reason, which, in turn, is linked to the sexism-informed narrative of the “man of reason” continually warding off or battling “feminine” unreason

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Phyllis Rooney
Oakland University

References found in this work

Metaphors we live by.George Lakoff & Mark Johnson - 1980 - Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Edited by Mark Johnson.
Metaphors We Live By.George Lakoff & Mark Johnson - 1980 - Ethics 93 (3):619-621.
Models and metaphors.Max Black - 1962 - Ithaca, N.Y.,: Cornell University Press.
Models and metaphors.Max Black - 1962 - Ithaca, N.Y.,: Cornell University Press.

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