Definition of Feminist Epistemology and Understanding Its Foundation

Feminist theory is a movement that intellectually challenges the way in which gender norms and values are kept. It is through collaborative scholarship that philosophers use as a goal to comprehend the ways in which these norms subordinate women and also find ways in dealing with them. Feminist theory deals with different fields of philosophy that identifies the vitality of the interconnected relationships that makes up our ethical, political and social life. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the main contribution of feminism in political analysis. This essay will commence by discussing the traditional method of epistemology and then further on explain the feminist epistemology and feminist epistemology critic the standpoint theory and the moral epistemology.

The traditional method of epistemology focus on justification, the epistemic worth of evidence and a structure helps us in our journey for epistemic legitimacy given the tendency of our biological inheritance. According to Susan Hack, the epistemological project can be seen a foundationalist. It is seen as this in two ways. First of all, the goal is to develop a structure of empirical knowledge that’s pictures the structure of logicist reconstruction of the knowledge of mathematics thereefore the belief about an individuals sensory experience is to create the basis on which the superstructure of empirical knowledge is to be straightened up by definition and induction (Hack 1993, p.338). Secondly, the rational reconstruction of empirical knowledge is meant to make a prior legitimation of the bonafides of our supposed knowledge of the world. This is why it is foundationalist because it brings about epistemology as a discipline the job of which is to establish the legitimacy of empirical science (hack 1993, p.338).

The critique of traditional method is based on the insufficient of its axiomatic principles to guide our empirical conclusions and the many regression of foundational claims. These claims must have further justifications by revoking in an infinite regression. Reflective deliberation of the truth that is self-evident was considered an inefficient endeavor due to science being our best enterprise when it comes to obtaining knowledge. If we use the Cartesian method of inquiry, we will never attain the goal of epistemic certainty. According to Quine (1964, p.74) the Cartesian quest for certainty has been the control of motivation of epistemology, it is both on the conceptual and doctrine side; but the quest was seen as a ‘’lost cause’’. To fund the truth of nature with full authority of quick experience was as hopeless as hoping endow the truth of mathematics with the potential clarity of simple logic (quine 1969, p 74).

Quines naturalized epistemology takes in place of the traditional method of epistemological theorizing by using scientific methods. Quince’s methodological approach to epistemic investigates to seek to utilize knowledge that we currently have. His model portrays the shift from the foundationalist model to replacement naturalism that is why empirical phycology is the nominated science that would explain how we gain knowledge best. One critique of naturalized epistemology is an issue of normativity. As rational epistemology is a normative enterprise controlling how we are supposed to arrive to our beliefs that naturalized epistemology only gives an explanation of how one creates beliefs. Hilary Kornblith supports Quine, he states that ‘’it is through the rise of science that we were led to question the limits and possibility of knowledge’’(kornblith 1993, p.4) natural epistemology aims to improve and assess our epistemic situation by considering our knowledge about the world and ourselves externally.

Feminist epistemology is defined as an outgrowth of the theory of gender and traditional concerns examined by feminist (iep). According to Longino, E () feminist epistemology is a paradox and a necessity. Feminist epistemology is better comprehended as the foundation of naturalized, social epistemology that focuses on the various influences of normal and conceptions of gender, gendered interests as well as experiences in producing knowledge (Anderson,). Understanding it this way prevents claims about feminine cognitive differences and allows feminist research in different disciplines to pose significant critiques of mainstream research. There are three major approaches of feminist philosophy of science, which are: Standpoint theory, feminist empiricism and post modernism. Feminist philosophers articulated these approaches in order to understand how gender situates knowing subjects (). However this essay will focus mainly on Feminist epistemology is an enterprise of complementary and exclusiveness. One of the problems of feminist epistemology is the sociality of knowledge. Knowledge’s is a product of beliefs values and judgments. Therefore it shoots all its focus on the community; the creation of knowledge is not in an abstract void but it is sited in a sociopolitical environment.

Feminism plays a role in social investigation of knowledge. Its epistemology is mainly on ‘’whose knowledge’’ is being considered. Feminism epistemologist does not speak on the empirical evidence but it suggests knowing the social contexts and beliefs due to factuality. Feminist epistemologists tend to debate that the way it is done makes it difficult not to include culture and social standards when describing nature. Gender is part of the cultural idea that helps to shape how nature is defined and it also describes the way science is processed.

Feminist Epistemology Critics

Feminist critiques of epistemology try to deeply and critically analyze methods of knowledge acquisition that are unfinished. Traditionally, the method of epistemic query is centered on the transcendence and objectivity. Feminist focuses on the specific knower. It underscores the vitality of social and a political relation of human subjects that debates that knowledge acquisition is the outcome of social lateness of the repressed individual (). Feminist epistemology focuses us to critically analyze and examine the structure of epistemic theory from the lens of the defeated position, due to this the standpoint theory will be discussed so we can comprehend the relationship between political and social treatment of women. Lorrain Code () states that feminist critiques objective is to expose complicit epistemology in keeping structures of inequality ‘’ feminists engaged, albeit from diverse theoretical positions, in demonstrating how epistemology- often tacitly-carry within them a potential either to sustain a social-political status quo or to promote’’ (Code, L 1996 PP 33)

Standpoint Theory

Marxism delivered the classic model of standpoint theory; it claims that epistemic privilege over the fundamental enquiries of economics history and sociology courtesy of the standpoint of the proletariats (). Feminist standpoint theory develops 3 different claims; firstly, knowledge is socially situated. Secondly, marginalized groups are situated socially in such a way that it makes it more efficient for them to be aware and question things that it is for the non-marginalize, and lastly. Research, which should commence with people with marginalized lives, research is mainly focused on power relations. Feminist standpoint theory is uses the concept of acquisition knowledge on social activity. It is perceived that the marginalized set of people i.e. women are in the better place to give a more rational account of the world from the position they stand. Feminist theorist such as, Sandra Harding argued that a vital factor of objectivity if the knower awareness of her personal assumptions and values and of the ways in which they affect her beliefs (). Sandra harden states that ‘’ ‘’ According to feminist standpoint theorist the knowledge acquisition process starts from when stand points appear. The importance of standpoints is to summon the objectivity of knowledge due to philosopher’s failure to look out for social operations and the subordinate groups experiences. For the marginalized individuals, they start to build an epistemic framework of the world utterly different to those that are privileged epistemically. Individuals whose position is epistemically dominant are only aware of just their own perspectives; judgments, beliefs and values of the world go unchallenged critically (). Meanwhile, people who are in a subjugated position must cultivate familiarity with the norms and point of view of their oppressors. For example, a slave who must learn the language of his or her master. Through the position of oppression that the knower can attain the access to multiple perspectives. The perspective allows them to have an epistemic advantage.

However, Longino (1993) argues that the standpoint theory cannot give a basis for choosing the standpoints that have epistemic privilege. Baron (1993) then goes ahead to argue against women’s epistemic privilege in theory oppression using female cognitive style. Our availability of moral privilege is estimated on continuing the existing gender relations that process this ethic but only if the feminine ethics of care issues the epistemic privileged perspective on morality. This therefore forces a choice in either possessing ethical knowledge or living in a nonsexist society. Marx states that conflict of class drives the central phenomenon of all other forms of group conflicts, due to this women are not able to have privilege access to their comprehending their own oppression due to it depending on their race, sexual identity etc. (Lungones and Spellman 1983).

Feminist have contributed in political analysis in so many ways, one of the contributions is in moral epistemology. Moral epistemology is the stud that systematically explains how an individual obtains moral knowledge and engages in moral reasoning. Jaggar explains female moral philosophy as: feminist philosophy generally distinguishes the basic commitment to uncover and correct whomever male biases exist in the general philosophical tradition. In moral philosophy, feminist aim and challenge male in subordinating women or rationalize their subordination (jaggar, 200, p 453). There are five ways that contributes to women subordination and reinforces masculine bias in moral philosophy, firstly, the traditional ethics shows no concern but it certainly does for men, secondly, traditional ethics overlooks women as morally interesting, thirdly, traditional ethics claim that women are not as rational as men are fourthly, traditional ethics rejects culturally masculine traits and lastly, traditional ethics is in favor of masculine ways to approach reasoning compared to women’s moral reasoning. The first and third point reflects on women’s rationality compared to men’s. The second point focuses on the political and social system placement of women’s roles that’s traditional ethicist is seen as important so it is neglected. The fourth and fifth point address the valuing of traditional ethical models that significantly focuses on abstraction, rationality and universality instead of the cultural and social factor f ethical deliberations. Jaggars substituted framework suggest that women’s moral experiences should be a resource for thinking moral rationality.