Astell’s View
It can be said that the view Mary Astell is best known for is her belief, or rather her insistence, that women should be educated in higher-order philosophical subjects in order to effectively combat the societal pressures and customs which have corrupted their minds and instilled in them an undue importance for the “feminine vices” such as vanity and pride. She specifically believed that women should ideally spend time in retreat at an all-female educational institution, where they would receive instruction in subjects such as meditation, reading, philosophical reflection, and emotional self-control. It is only through this form of education, according to Astell, that women would gain a more holistic understanding of the world and themselves, as well as learn to cultivate values that would aid them in living a virtuous life.
This view can be said to be part of a larger philosophical debate concerning the inequality between men and women. Feminist theory, also known as philosophical feminism, is a field in which philosopical concepts and theories that “presume women’s equality” are generated and defended, among other topics (Brittanica). This includes various arguments for the intellectual equality of women and men, which are usually intertwined with arguments for the right to education for women. Astell’s view fits into this larger topic of feminist theory as A Serious Proposal, in partiular, is often credited for publicising the ideas which would later form the foundation of early feminist theory itself in the western world. She was one of the first philosophers who intellectualised a strong argument which stated that women were just as intellectually capable of men, and should be given access to a good quality education in philosophical subjects in order to unlock their suppressed intellectual potential.
Argument
Astell’s argument for this view begins with her illustration of the core problem; the cause of the inequality between the genders. She believed that women are systematically disadvantaged as a result of strong social conditioning and pressure to behave a certain way, which teaches them to give importance to the wrong things (vanity, what men think of them), and has the effect of “corrupting” the female mind (Webb). This corrupted mindset is one which leads women to believe that these “feminine vices” are part of their nature, as conferred upon them by God, which obstructs their desire and ability to improve themselves and live virtuously, thus threatening their chances of salvation (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Astell writes: “…having inur’d ourselves to Folly, we know not how to quit it; we go on in Vice, not because we find satisfaction in it, but because we are unacquainted with the Joys of Vertue” (Astell 31), which explains how women have been trapped in this cycle of living in vice because of societal pressures that prevent them from learning about the methods of self improvement and effective ways of thinking, and suppress the desire to pursue these methods. The lack of education women receive in deeper, philosophical subjects only exacerbates the problem, as Astell believes that this education could serve to teach women about their true nature, which is much more than just vanity and pride as their corrupted mindset leads them to believe. By affirming their true nature and instilling in them the desire to use this nature in a virtuous manner through philosophical education and reflection, Astell emphasises the transformative power such an education could have on the intellectual ability and quality of life enjoyed by women.
To strengthen her argument, Astell provides a number of advantages which women would enjoy as a result of being educated in her proposed all-female institution. These are mainly the new virtuous ideas and activities which women would be exposed to and gain an affinity for, thus improving their own virtue and chances of salvation:
- By immersing themselves in the study of meditation, reading, philosophical reflection and emotional self-control (Webb), women would be able to undo the corruption of their mindsets, caused by strong societal pressure to adhere to the feminine vices. They would then be able to make full use of the cognitive capabilities given to them by God, which are just as strong as those possessed by men. Astell argues that they would now possess the best possible mindset to “receive the influences of the holy Spirit” and obtain much clearer notions of God, since the influence of the feminine vices was no longer distracting them. She believes that this is the most virtuous pursuit they could possibly undertake, as “God is the noblest Object of our Understanding”, so there is nothing of more importance which women should devote their time and attention to (Astell 82-86). She certainly doesn’t think that women should waste their time appealing or catering to men, when they are truly capable of and have the opportunity to appeal to God instead (Astell 12).
- Astell raises a unique advantage which would come of these all-female educational institutions: the opportunity to make meaningful female friendships. She maintains that the benefit of making these genuine, supportive connections with other like-minded women is that it has “a special force” to open one’s heart and expel any behaviour which would be “of pernicious consequence to Mankind”. Astell calls friendship the “most beneficial and pleasant thing in the world”, and claims that fostering these female friendships would not only be intrinsically valuable for their moral support and company, but also extrinsically valuable as a tool to improve oneself in virtue (Astell 95).
Glossary
Vanity: Giving undue importance to one’s looks. In Astell’s works, it is implied that the vanity of women is associated with gaining the attention of men.
Pride: One of the seven deadly sins from Christianity, pride is when one gains pleasure from an overinflated appreciation for oneself or one’s achievements. Astell speaks of women’s pride coming from the invention or possession of material things, such as the latest fashionable clothes.
Virtues: The most moral and desirable characteristics and ways of living.
Salvation: In Astell’s Christian context, salvation is the saving of the soul by delivering it of sin, thus allowing them to reach heaven after the death of the body.
Custom: The traditionally approved roles and behaviour expected of women.
Corrupted mind: A mind which perceives itself wrongly. Astell believes that women’s minds are corrupted because they have been conditioned to undermine their true nature and potential.
Nature: The true essence of an individual, which Astell holds to be their wills (behavioural intentions).
Works Cited
Astell, Mary. A Serious Proposal to the Ladies. Parts I and II, P. Springborg (ed.), Broadview Literary Texts, Ontario, 2002.
Broad, Jacqueline. “Mary Astell on Virtuous Friendship.” Parergon 26.2, 2009, pp. 65-86.
Webb, Simone. “Mary Astell’s ‘A Serious Proposal to the Ladies’ (1694).” 1000 Word Philosophy, 22 Oct. 2020, 1000wordphilosophy.com/2018/06/03/mary-astells-a-serious-proposal-to-the-ladies-1694/.
Sowaal, Alice. “Mary Astell.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 9 Dec. 2015, plato.stanford.edu/entries/astell/.
home
introduction
biography
philosophical expansion
comparison with John Locke
closing arguments
bibliography