Analyzes critically the concepts of sex and gender, and explores how these concepts may be used both to perpetuate injustice and combat it. This course has four units. Unit 1 introduces the skills of critical reasoning, analytic writing听and philosophical dialogue. Unit 2 evaluates several biological interpretations of sex and gender, including the view that 鈥渟ex is a binary" and the view that 鈥渟ex is a spectrum". Unit 3 assumes a historical perspective, exploring the ways in which gender roles, sex roles听and forms of oppression seem to be rooted in the concepts of sex and gender.听 We will consider the ideas of figures such as Plato, John Stuart Mill, Harriet Taylor Mill, Sojourner Truth, Simone de Beauvoir and听Judith Butler. Unit 4 outlines the so-called "Inclusion Problem" and considers the practical implications of rival solutions to this problem (from both inside and outside of the critical-theory feminism tradition).
Learning Objectives
- Identify the three main components of a philosophical argument, evaluate arguments for validity and soundness, and create new arguments;
- Follow the four maxims of The Cooperative Principle (P.H. Grice) and the four guidelines known as 鈥淩apoport鈥檚 Rules鈥� to facilitate respectful and fruitful disagreement with peers;
- By the end of Unit 2, explain the 鈥淧roblem of Sex鈥� in evolutionary biology and use it as a lens to assess the debate over whether biological sex is a binary trait or spectrum trait;听听
- By the end of Unit 3, outline four waves of feminism, and their impact on the meaning of terms such as 鈥渟ex鈥�, 鈥済ender鈥�, 鈥渕an鈥�, 鈥渨oman鈥澨齛nd 鈥減atriarchy鈥�;
- By the end of Unit 4, summarize the so-called 鈥淚nclusion Problem鈥� and evaluate at least four candidate solutions to it;
- By the end of the course, defend one鈥檚 own (tentative) solution to two gender-related debates in popular discourse, including the debate over the meaning of the term 鈥渨oman鈥� and the dispute over which notion of sex should be used to sex-based segregation in elite sports.