TABLE
OF CONTENTS PAGES
Title ———————————————–
i
Presentation ———————————————–ii
Approval ———————————————–iii
Certification ———————————————–iv
Acknowledgements ———————————————–v-vi
Dedication ———————————————–vii
Table
of Contents ———————————————–viii-ix
Abstract ———————————————–x
CHAPTER ONE:
INTRODUCTION —————————————-1
1.1.
Background of Study ————————————————-1
1.2.
Statement of Problem
————————————————-2-3
1.3.
Purpose of Study ————————————————-3
1.4.
Significance of Study
————————————————-3-4
1.5.
Scope of Study ————————————————–4
1.6.
Methodology ————————————————–4-5
1.7.
Definition of Terms ————————————————–5-12
CHAPTER TWO:
LITERATURE REVIEW ——————————–16-33
CHAPTER THREE:
FEMINISM IN THE PHILOSOPHY
OF SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR ————————-36
3.1. Life and Times
of Simone De Beauvoir ——————————-36-43
3.2. De Beauvoir’s
Concept of Feminism
——————————-44-46
3.2.1. Nature of a
woman ——————————-46-49
3.2.2. Transcendence ——————————-49-50
3.2.3.
Immanence ——————————-51-52
3.2.4. The Concept of
the Other ——————————-52-54
3.3.
Barriers to Feminism ——————————-54
3.3.1. Religion/
Church as a Barrier ——————————-54-59
3.3.2.
Patriarchy as a Barrier ——————————-59-60
3.3.3. Reproduction, Marriage and
Pregnancy as Barriers ——61-64
3.3.4.
Idleness as a Barrier ——————————–64
3.3.5. Custom/Orientation as
a Barrier ——————————-65-66
8
9
|
CHAPTER |
|
|
BEAUVOIR’S |
69-77 |
|
CHAPTER FIVE: |
—————-78-81 |
|
BIBLIOGRAPHY |
82-86 |
ABSTRACT
Feminism
is one of the philosophical concepts that has raised a lot of controversies in
all human societies. It is a theory, ideology and a humanistic philosophy that
incorporate men and women for the upliftment and development of the society. To
this end, Simone De Beauvoir, a French existentialist philosopher, applied
existentialists’ ideas to the situation of the contemporary women. For ages,
the woman is seen as a second class citizen, the “other”, an object who
is lost and is losing her way, as such, this has doomed her to immanence since
her transcendence has been overshadowed and forever transcended by another ego.
To her, a woman is a free and autonomous being like all human creatures who
finds herself living in a world where men compel her to the status of the “other”.
This work is therefore a critical analysis of feminism in the philosophy of
Simone De Beauvoir using her Second Sex. With the analysis of feminism,
some of the possible findings include that De Beauvoir’s feminism is misogynic,
anti-naturalistic and confrontational. This thesis therefore concludes that her
feminism is inauthentic, unnaturalistic and is opposed to African feminism.
10
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. BACKGROUND OF
STUDY
Feminism
is one of the philosophical concepts that have raised a lot of hackles among
philosophers. “It is not a new phenomenon. It is as old as
the
human desire to be treated fairly and judged equally.”1
This concept therefore dates back to the very beginning of patriarchic
domination.
Simone
De Beauvoir, a French existentialist Philosopher, in her book, TheSecond
Sex, recognized the problems and oppression of women which sheapproached
from the continental traditions of existentialism and phenomenology. “Her
approach focused on the cultural mechanisms of the oppression that left women
in the role of the “other”. Her examination encompassed Sigmund Freud,
Karl Marx, the evidence of the body,
evidence of history
and evidence of sociology and representative novelist.”2
She
raised the question of what it meant to be a woman. According to her, the
category of womanhood is imposed by civilization and the fundamental social
meaning of the woman is “other”, which is mysterious. In other
11
words,
the woman is dominated and this domination is caused by men who
have both political
and social powers.”3
She
therefore denied the existence of any universal human essence, like Jean Paul
Sartre and claims that the concept of femininity like the concept of humanity
is socially and historically determined.
This
thesis is therefore, a critical analysis of Simone De Beauvoir’s philosophy of
feminism. The big questions are: what is feminism? What is a woman? Is it that
a man makes a woman worthwhile or is she worthwhile in her nature? What are the
limitations of feminism? Does a woman not have a right as a human being? All
these questions and many of their kinds are the consequences of the problems
emanating from such a virilocal society, which has relegated women to the
position of the “other”.
1.2. STATEMENT OF
PROBLEM
The
“woman” question is one of the philosophical questions that have existed for
ages and it still exists. The woman is conceived by different scholars from
different perspectives. Most conceptions of the woman are vitriolic; that is,
she has a lower social and economic status, as such she is viewed as primarily
ornamental and nurturing. These problems of the
12
woman can therefore be compared to African predicament:
the woman is like Africa, the way the woman is regarded is also the way Africa
is perceived; as an inferior and a second class citizen.
Simone
De Beauvoir identified religion (Christianity) and male domination (patriarchy)
as the main causes of the problems of women. These factors (christianity and
patriarchy) regard the woman as the other who becomes alienated from
herself. She therefore asserts that one is not born, but becomes a woman, that
is to say that, a woman is nothing but what she makes of herself; it is neither
nature nor biology that defines her.
1.3. PURPOSE OF STUDY
The
purpose of this study is to inquire, discover and criticize the concept of
feminism in the philosophy of Simone De Beauvoir. It would also improve our
knowledge of philosophical anthropology and existentialism, especially on
feminism, by pointing some flaws in Simone’s feminism, using African feminism.
1.4. SIGNIFICANCE OF
STUDY
The
significance of this thesis is to investigate, discover, criticize and discuss
Simone De Beauvoir’s concept of feminism and feminism in
13
general. We shall give a comprehensive knowledge of the
nature of a woman, general concept of feminism as well as Simone’s conception
of feminism. It shall also encourage women not to rely on societal views about
them nor see men as the origin and end of their salvation. They should
struggle, for they are nothing but what they make of themselves, since the
dignity of a woman is to contribute both to her family and society at large. It
shall also add to our knowledge of existentialism, and as well criticize Simone
De Beauvoir’s existential approach to feminism.
1.5. SCOPE OF STUDY
The
scope of this thesis is solely on Simone De Beauvoir’s philosophy of feminism.
Although the concept of feminism and African feminism will be analyzed but it
will be limited to Simone De Beauvoir’s philosophy of feminism.
1.6. METHODOLOGY
The
method of this thesis is a critical analysis of feminism in the philosophy of
Simone De Beauvoir. It is a philosophical, existential, anthropological and
cultural examination of the conception of feminism in the philosophy of De
Beauvoir. Works on feminism especially, De Beauvoir’s The Second
14
Sex is paramount for this research.
Journals, Magazines, Textbooks,Newspapers, Encyclopedia etc are also
used in the writing of this thesis.
This
thesis is divided into five chapters for easy reading and clarity. Chapter one
contains the general introduction as well as the general structure of the work.
Chapter two takes care of the literature review while chapter three focuses on
feminism in the philosophy of Simone De Beauvoir. Chapter four concentrates on
a critical analysis of De Beauvoir’s philosophy of feminism, targeting African
feminism. This is followed by chapter five, which is evaluation and conclusion.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
1.7.1.
A Woman
A
woman is an adult of the human race. As a child, a woman belongs to the group
of girls and as an adult; she belongs to the women-folk. “A woman is
the opposite of a
man; sex therefore distinguishes a man from a woman”.4
A
woman is a female biologically. “Menstruation, defloration, pregnancy, child
birth, lactation and biological preparedness differentiate a woman from a man.
A woman therefore is an entity distinct from a mere object that
is, an end in itself
and a source of value in her own right”.5
15
1.7.2.
Feminism
The
term feminism is derived from the Latin word Femina which simply means
woman. The Dictionaries have the definitional idea of feminism. Oxford
Dictionary of Philosophy defines feminism as the approach to social life,
philosophy and ethics that commits itself to correcting bias leading to
the
subordination of women….6 Oxford Advanced
Learner’s Dictionary of English Language defines feminism as the belief and aim
that women
should
have the same rights and opportunities as men.7
Encyclopedia Britannica defines feminism as the belief, largely originating in
the west, in the social, economic and political equality of the sexes,
represented worldwide by various institutions committed to the activity on
behalf of
women’s right and
interest.8
Feminism
also “stands for the thinking, theory, philosophy or ideology, which has to do
with the changing conditions of women (and men) in the
historical
evolution of the human race”.9 “Feminism
therefore is the advocacy of social equality for men and women, in opposition
to patriarchy
and sexism”.10
However,
feminism views the personal experiences of women and men through the lens of
gender, that is how we think of ourselves (gender
16
identity), how we act (gender roles), and how our sex
social standing (gender stratification) are all rooted in the operation of the
society. Feminism is another “contemporary movement that is seeking to rethink
philosophy”.11 It
is a humanistic philosophy that incorporate as well as unite men and women for
upliftment and development of the society. They not only describe the society
but change it, recognize men and women as different and equal. In other words,
it questions some of the underlying assumptions of the western tradition in
philosophy and seeks to develop a new model for doing philosophy. “Feminism is
sometimes, caricatured as a movement of political reaction, but from a
feminist’s perspective, this constitutes a rather transparent strategy to
undermine the philosophical
authenticity of
feminist thinking”.12
Historically,
Feminism is divided into three categories namely:
1. Equity, Liberal or
First Wave Feminism.
2. Gender, Radical or
Second Wave Feminism.
3. Socialist or Marxist
Feminism
Finally, it is “a socio-political orientation that seeks
to eliminate bias based on gender and to value women’s achievement, experience
and
perspective”.13 A school of thought
that attempts to describe, explain and
17
analyze the conditions of women’s lives; that is, a way
of viewing the world and proposes strategies for activism and action to
ameliorate the conditions in which women live and work.
1.7.3. Gender
Gender refers to “the
term, used to encompass the social expectations
associated
with femininity and masculinity”.14. In
other words, “gender is the socially and culturally prescribed and perceived
ways that males and
females are expected
to behave (their culturally assigned roles)”.15
Gender
is central to the way the society is organized. Like the family, religion, race
and other social institutions, gender affects the roles men and women play in a
society. In other words “gender establishes the pattern of behaviour through
interaction with other institutions, just as social class
and
the economy and also how social institution influence each other”.16 De
Beauvoir cites the notion of male and female roles as bad faith.
However,
“gender refers to the set of characteristics distinguishing between male and
female, particularly in the cases of men and women. It differentiates between
men and women of cultural origin, that is, it is a social construct , which is
a matter of nurture, since cultures differ as well
18
as
the expectations and rules for male and female, which are grounded in
the biological and
anatomical distinction”.17
1.7.4. Existentialism
Existentialism is “a
set of philosophy that emphasizes the existence of the
human
being, lack of meaning, purpose of life”.18 It
is a contemporary philosophical trend that holds that existence precede
essence, in other words, existence is the first and central problem.
Existentialism
is also “a term for the branch of modern philosophy that explores an assortment
of questions, having to do with the individual’s lack of an essential nature,
the absolute freedom that he or she has to create
his
or her own essence….”19 It is sometimes
referred to as a continental philosophy, referring to the continental part of
Europe, as opposed to that practiced in Britain at that time, which was called
analytic philosophy, and mostly dealt with analyzing language.
1.7.5. Human Nature
Human
nature is the concept that holds that there is a set of inherent distinguishing
characteristics, including ways of thinking, feeling and acting, which all
humans tend to have. The questions of what ultimately cause
19
these distinguishing characteristics of humanity, how
this causation works, and how fixed human nature is, are amongst the oldest and
most important questions in western philosophy. These questions have
particularly important implications in ethics, politics and theology because
human nature is seen as providing standards or norms that humans can use when
judging how best to live either as individuals, or members of a community.
For
the Socratics, human nature as well as all in nature is a metaphysical concept.
Aristotle developed the standard presentation of this approach with his theory
of four causes. Human nature is an example of a formal cause according to
Aristotle. His teleological concept of nature is associated with humans, having
a divine component in their psyches,
which is most
properly exercised in the lifestyle of the philosopher….20
Human
nature therefore is associated with anthropology, sociology, sociobiology and
psychology, particularly evolutionary psychology and developmental psychology.
20
1.7.6.
Sexuality
“Sexuality
looks at the ways sex, sexual orientation, sexual violation and intimacy are
handled, including turning men and women into sexual
objects”.21
According
to Gayle Rubin, “Sexuality is the nexus of relationship between the genders;
much of the oppression of women is borne by, mediated through, and constituted
within. It is also the feelings and activities connected with a person’s sexual
desires. Sexuality therefore “suggests that contemporary feminists theorize
multiple possibilities for sexual identity, sexual orientation and sexual
expression, which have been defined through feminist theory as well as through
queer theory. In other words, it is a site of women’s domination and a
potential resource for resistance, self-
definition and
subjectivity”.22
1.7.7. Patriarchy
Patriarchy is “the
system that places men only at the top of the social and
political
ladder.”23 In other words it is a society, system
or country that is ruled or controlled by men. Men consider women as
inconsequential,
21
powerless, inferior, passive
and incapable of fulfilling any reasonable responsibility.
Patriarchy is also “a system, where men have entertained
the belief that even though all humans are said to be equal, they (men) are more
equal
than women, as such,
have legitimate rights to lord over them”.24