Feminism in purgatory: the ontological subject caught between modernity and postmodernity
department or school: Arts, Faculty of
department or school: Political Science, Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Dalgliesh, Bregham
issued: 2009-02-27T19:53:25Z
issued: 1994
related degree: Master of Arts - MA
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: By assuming there to be a philosophical relationship between one’s ontology and the politico-moral framework one advocates, this thesis places modern political philosophy in the context of meaninglessness to argue that liberal ontologies and communitarian frameworks have historically excluded women from being ontologically self-determining, morally free, and from equal respect. Taking both these philosophies as characteristic of modern patriarchalism, it is claimed they responded to the decline of premodern metaphysical meaning through an elaboration of institutional frameworks dominated by reason and order, and in juxtaposition to women and nature. However, in order to transcend this modern patriarchal framework and its associated masculine ontology, feminism experiences a sense of intellectual purgatory. Desperate to establish, at the least, a gender neutral post-patriarchal framework, feminism cannot risk positing a universally applicable ontology on which to base it for fear of committing the same error of exclusion of modern ontologies. Nonetheless, feminism remains at the same time committed to a postmodern politico-moral framework that disparages metanarratives and universal ontologies. Feminism, therefore, is caught at the ontological level between modernity’s framework which it rejects, and postmodern ontologies which are not sufficient on their own to transform this framework.
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/5253
extent: 2554277 bytes
format: application/pdf
note: FEMINISM IN PURGATORY: THE ONTOLOGICAL SUBJECTCAUGHT BETWEEN MODERNITY AND POSTMODERN1TYbyBREGHAM DALGLIESHB.Sc., The University of Southampton, 1992A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OFTHE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OFMASTER OF ARTSinTHE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIESDepartment of Political ScienceWe accept this thesis as conformingto the required standardTHE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIASeptember 1994©Bregham Daigliesh, 1994In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanceddegree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make itfreely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensivecopying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of mydepartment or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying orpublication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my writtenpermission.(Signature)________________Department of________________The University of British ColumbiaVancouver, CanadaDate SJDE-6 (2188)11ABSTRACTBy assuming there to be a philosophical relationship between one’s ontology and thepolitico-moral framework one advocates, this thesis places modern political philosophy inthe context of meaninglessness to argue that liberal ontologies and communitarianframeworks have historically excluded women from being ontologically self-determining,morally free, and from equal respect. Taking both these philosophies as characteristic ofmodern patriarchalism, it is claimed they responded to the decline of premodernmetaphysical meaning through an elaboration of institutional frameworks dominated byreason and order, and in juxtaposition to women and nature. However, in order totranscend this modern patriarchal framework and its associated masculine ontology,feminism experiences a sense of intellectual purgatory. Desperate to establish, at the least, agender neutral post-patriarchal framework, feminism cannot risk positing a u…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 1994-11
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0094718
language: eng
degree discipline: Political Science
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/5253