Mary Astell 1666-1731 : theorist of freedom from domination

Philosopher, theologian, educational theorist, feminist and political pamphleteer, Mary Astell was an important figure in the history of ideas of the early modern period. Among the first systematic critics of John Locke's entire corpus, she is best known for the famous question which prefaces her Reflections on Marriage: 'If all men are born free, how is it that all women are born slaves?' She is claimed by modern Republican theorists and feminists alike but, as a Royalist High Church Tory, the peculiar constellation of her views sits uneasily with modern commentators. Patricia Springborg's study addresses these apparent paradoxes, recovering the historical and philosophical contexts to her thought. She shows that Astell was not alone in her views; rather, she was part of a cohort of early modern women philosophers who were important for the reception of Descartes and who grappled with the existential problems of a new age. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 Acknowledgements 13 A Note on Editions of Astell’s Works Cited 15 A Note on the Structure of the Book 15 Mary Astell, A Brief Chronology 19 Introduction Astell and Early Modern Feminism 23 1. A Reply to My Critics: Astell, Locke and Feminism 23 2. Early Modern Women and ‘Myth of the State’ 29 3. Astell, Seventeenth-Century Women Philosophers and the Reception of Descartes 34 4. Astell, Women Philosophers and the Querelle des Femmes 39 5. Astell, Women Dramatists, Publicists and Pamphleteers 43 6. Astell, Drake and the Social Gendering of Knowledge 44 1 Mary Astell, Philosopher, Theologian and Polemicist 49 1. Astell’s Life and Works 49 2. Astell’s High Church Tory Milieu 56 3. Philosophical Milieu, Hobbes, Descartes, Locke and Shaftesbury 61 4. The Theological Climate: Arminianism and Neoplatonism 64 5. Locke and the Neoplatonists: Norris and Malebranche 70 6. Astell’s Letters Concerning the Love of God 80 7. Masham’s Discourse Concerning the Love of God 89 2 Astell, Drake, Education, Epistemology and the Serious Proposal 103 1. A Serious Proposal, Text and Context 103 2. Drake, Swift, Wotton and the Battle between the Ancients and Moderns 106 3. Drake, the State of Nature and Freedom from Domination 109 4. Astell and the Port Royal School 112 5. Astell's Critique of Locke's Epistemology 118 6. Astell, Descartes, Stillingfleet and Locke on Ideas and Extension 124 7. Astell's Critique of Locke's Psychology and Politics 129 8. Astell's Critique of Locke on Thinking Matter 133 3 Astell on Marriage, Patriarchalism and Contractarianism 135 1. The Marriage Contract-Social Contract Analogue 135 2. Marriage and Corporatism 137 3. Marriage and Patriarchalism 141 4. Hobbes, Locke and Contractarianism 144 5. Astell's Critique of Contractarianism 149 6. Astell’s Reflections upon Marriage, a Critique of Customary Right 152 7. Astell and Milton 157 4 Mary Astell and the Settlement of 1689 165 1. Astell’s An Impartial Enquiry: The Context 165 2. Astell, Locke and the Problem of Resistance 169 3. Astell and the `Glorious Revolution' of 1688 173 4. Astell, Hobbes, Locke, Filmer and the Title to Rule 177 5. Astell, Locke, Sherlock and the Allegiance Debate 180 6. Astell, Sherlock and Locke on Authority and Title to Rule 182 5 A Fair Way with the Dissenters and Their Patrons 186 1. Locke, Toleration and Dissent 186 2. Astell, the Dissenters and Short-Ways 191 3. Astell, Leslie and the High Flyers 192 4. Astell, Defoe and the Dissenting Academies 195 5. Astell, Burnet, Toleration and the Tolerationists 198 6. Defoe, Burnet and Clarendon 200 7. Astell, Owen and Moderation Truly Stated 203 6 Astell, Locke and the Highway Man: A Test Case 209 1. Locke and the Settlement of 1689 209 2. Astell's Rebuttal of Locke: The Case 211 3. Astell's Rebuttal of Locke: The Evidence 214 4. Astell and the Highway Man: A Test Case 219 5. Political Demagogues and Domestic Tyrants 223 6. Astell's Critique of Locke: The Significance 226 7 Astell, Drake and the Historical Legacy of Freedom 231 1. Freedom from Domination in the Civil Law and Natural Rights Traditions 231 2. Republicanism and Freedom from Domination 237 3. Ius, Dominium and Imperium: Right, Dominion and Power 246 4. Towards a Subjective Concept of Freedom and Universal Human Rights 252 Appendix: Glossary and Select Biographical Notes 261 Notes 279 Introduction 279 Chapter 1 289 Chapter 2 301 Chapter 3 309 Chapter 4 314 Chapter 5 318 Chapter 6 322 Chapter 7 326 Select Bibliography 339 Primary Texts 339 Secondary Texts 349 Index 369 "Philosopher, theologian, educational theorist, feminist and political pamphleteer, Many Astell was an important figure in the history of ideas of the early modern period. She contributed to the British debate over toleration and dissent from the 1690s, which inaugurated the modern secular state. Among the first systematic critics of John Locke's entire corpus, she is best known for the famous question that prefaces her Reflections on Marriage: 'If all men are born free, how is it that all women are born slaves?' She is claimed by modern Republican theorists and feminists alike, but as she is a High Church Tory, the peculiar constellation of her views sits uneasily with modern commentators. Patricia Springborg's study addresses these apparent paradoxes and recovers the historical and philosophical contexts for her thought. She shows that Astell was not alone in her views: rather, she belonged to a cohort of early modern female philosophers who were important for the reception of Locke and Descartes and who grappled with the existential problems of a new age."--Jacket.

Philosopher, theologian, educational theorist, feminist, and political pamphleteer, Mary Astell was an important figure in the history of ideas of the early modern period in many contexts. (She contributed to the British debate over toleration and dissent from the 1690s, which inaugurated the modern secular state.) Patricia Springborg's study recovers the historical and philosophical contexts of her thought. She demonstrates that Astell was not alone in her views but, rather, part of a cohort of early modern women philosophers grappling with the existential problems of a new age.

Philosopher, theologian, educational theorist, feminist, and political pamphleteer, Mary Astell was an important figure in the history of ideas. This study addresses the apparent paradoxes between her often radical views and position as a Royalist High Church Tory, recovering the historical and philosophical contexts for her thought.