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| '''Sandra Harding''' (born ]), is an ] philosopher of ] and ], ], research methodology and ]. She has contributed to ] and to the multicultural study of science. She gained some notoriety for referring to Newton's Laws as a "rape manual" (Harding: 1986, pg. 264). The full quote is: <blockquote>"Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica is a 'rape manual' because 'science is a male rape of female nature'."</blockquote> | '''Sandra Harding''' (born ]), is an ] philosopher of ] and ], ], research methodology and ]. She has contributed to ] and to the multicultural study of science. She gained some notoriety for referring to Newton's Laws as a "rape manual" (Harding: 1986, pg. 264). The full quote is: <blockquote>"Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica is a 'rape manual' because 'science is a male rape of female nature'."</blockquote> | ||
| This reflects the view that science is a perpetuation of patriarchal hegemony, and that it is indelibly imbued with masculine value systems and worldviews, both of which form an integral part of ]. | This reflects the view that science is a perpetuation of patriarchal hegemony, and that it is indelibly imbued with masculine value systems and worldviews, both of which form an integral part of ]. This is closely linked to soft relativism, in which there is no singular claim to knowledge but instead many different cultures each with their own equally valuable ability to contribute to the knowledge system. This is what standpoint theory also hopes to contribute, women have their unique perspective on knowledge which has been ignored for a long time and which would help to improve the understanding of the world. | ||
| She is currently a professor of Social Sciences and Comparative Education at ], and the Director of the UCLA Center for the Study of Women. Harding previously taught at the University of Delaware for many years. She earned her PhD from ] (NYU). Harding was married to the philosopher Harold Morick, though the two are now long divorced. | She is currently a professor of Social Sciences and Comparative Education at ], and the Director of the UCLA Center for the Study of Women. Harding previously taught at the University of Delaware for many years. She earned her PhD from ] (NYU). Harding was married to the philosopher Harold Morick, though the two are now long divorced. | ||
Revision as of 02:08, 11 October 2006
Sandra Harding (born 1935), is an American philosopher of feminist and postcolonial theory, epistemology, research methodology and philosophy of science. She has contributed to standpoint theory and to the multicultural study of science. She gained some notoriety for referring to Newton's Laws as a "rape manual" (Harding: 1986, pg. 264). The full quote is:
"Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica is a 'rape manual' because 'science is a male rape of female nature'."
This reflects the view that science is a perpetuation of patriarchal hegemony, and that it is indelibly imbued with masculine value systems and worldviews, both of which form an integral part of standpoint theory. This is closely linked to soft relativism, in which there is no singular claim to knowledge but instead many different cultures each with their own equally valuable ability to contribute to the knowledge system. This is what standpoint theory also hopes to contribute, women have their unique perspective on knowledge which has been ignored for a long time and which would help to improve the understanding of the world.
She is currently a professor of Social Sciences and Comparative Education at UCLA, and the Director of the UCLA Center for the Study of Women. Harding previously taught at the University of Delaware for many years. She earned her PhD from New York University (NYU). Harding was married to the philosopher Harold Morick, though the two are now long divorced.
Some of her ideas were criticised by scientists Paul R. Gross and Norman Levitt in Higher Superstition for being ignorant, biased, and possibly even dangerous, as well as rather silly and not befitting the quality of scholarship one would expect from a tenured professor. This is part of the ongoing controversy known as the Science Wars.
Bibliography
- Harding, Sandra and Merrill B. Hintikka, ed. Discovering Reality: Feminist Perspectives on Epistemology, Metaphysics, Methodology, and Philosophy of Science. 1983.
- Harding, Sandra. The Science Question in Feminism. 1986.
- Harding, Sandra and Jean F. O'Barr, ed. Sex and Scientific Inquiry. 1987.
- Harding, Sandra. Whose Science? Whose Knowledge?: Thinking from Women's Lives. 1991.
- Harding, Sandra. "Science is 'Good to Think With,'" Social Text 46-47, (1996): 15-26.
References
Gross, P. & Levitt, N.: Higher Superstition: The Academic Left and its Quarrels with Science. Johns Hopkins University Press. 1994.
External links
- Starting from Marginalized Lives: A Conversation with Sandra Harding
- Who’s Sandra Harding? Where’s She Standing?