Iris Murdoch, gender and philosophy / by Sabina Lovibond.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lovibond, Sabina.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Murdoch, Iris.

Physical Description:

viii, 152 pages ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge, 2011.

Summary:

Iris Murdoch was one of the best-known philosophers and novelists of the post-war period. In this book, Sabina Lovibond explores the tangled issue of Murdoch's stance towards gender and feminism. Drawing upon the evidence of her fiction philosophy and other public statements.

As well as analysing Murdoch's own attitudes Iris Murdoch, Gender and Philosophy is also a critical enquiry into the way we picture intellectual and especially philosophical activity Appealing to the idea of a social imaginary within Murdoch's work is located Lovibond examines the sense of incongruity or dissonance that may still affect our image of a woman philosopher, ever where egalitarian views officially hold sway.

The first thorough exploration of Murdoch and gender, Iris Murdoch, Gender and Philosophy is a fresh contribution to debates in feminist philosophy and gender studies, and essential reading for anyone interested in Murdoch's literary and philosophical writing. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 A woman philosopher: why not? 1

The prophet 1

Introducing Iris Murdoch 2

Murdoch and feminism: first thoughts 3

Imagining the philosopher 7

Murdoch the Platonist 9

Sages and charlatans 12

Socially defective 'knowledge' 14

Homage to the male 17

Discipline and autonomy in Murdoch's ethics 20

The story of M and D 23

2 The Simone Weil factor 28

Attention and obedience 28

Unselfing 30

Murdoch, Weil and liberalism 32

'The whole cannot be saved' 35

Charity or militancy? 36

The thinker as individual 31

Prospects for the interrogation of consciousness 39

The unexamined life 41

The problem of authority 44

3 Men, women and learning: case studies in the fiction of Iris Murdoch 47

Introduction to case studies 41

Under the Net (1954) 48

A Severed Head (1961) 52

A Fairly Honourable Defeat (1910) 53

An Accidental Man (1971) 51

Nuns and Soldiers (1980) 61

The Philosopher's Pupil (1983) 61

The Book and the Brotherhood (1987) 76

The Message to the Planet (1989) 80

4 'What is she afraid of?' 84

Selflessness and woman's place 84

A shock to the system 81

Feminine masochism 88

Paths to the divine 91

Asceticism and gender 93

Authority under attack 96

Religion through thick and thin? 91

The negative moment 100

Vertical and horizontal 102

Some emotional baggage 104

Afterthoughts 101.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [143]-147) and index.

ISBN:

9780415429986

0415429986

9780415429993

0415429994

9780203830017

0203830016

OCLC:

166383968