Today's Feminist Movement: Philosophy in Action Podcast

On Sunday's Philosophy in Action Radio, I answered a question on today's feminist movement. The question was:

How should the feminist movement be judged? Do today's feminist causes have any merit? Or is the feminist movement merely seeking special favors for women at the expense of men – perhaps even via violations of the rights of men? If the movement is mixed, how should it be judged, overall? Should better feminists eschew the movement due to its flaws – or attempt to change it from within? Can advocates of reason, egoism, and capitalism ally themselves with selected feminist causes without promoting the worse elements thereof?

My Answer, In Brief: Despite its many problems, feminism has been a major force for political, economic, and social change for the better. Today, just as with any other ideologically mixed movement, alliances with feminists should be made in a careful and ad-hoc way.

Download or Listen to My Full Answer:

• Duration: 19:26
• Download: MP3 Segment

Tags: Activism, Culture, Feminism, History, Law, Politics, Politics, Rights, Sexism

Links:

• The Legal Status of Women, 1776-1830
• The Feminist Papers: From Adams to de Beauvoir, edited by Alice Rossi
• Philosophy in Action: The Wrong of Anti-Discrimination Laws
• iFeminists.net

To comment on this question or my answer, visit its comment thread.

A podcast of the full episode – where I answered questions on today's feminist movement, the morality of jailbreaking, racism versus moral decency, the objectivity of color concepts, and more – is available here: Episode of 14 July 2013.

You can automatically download podcasts of Philosophy in Action Radio by subscribing to Philosophy in Action's Podcast RSS Feed:

• Enhanced M4A Feed: Subscribe via iTunes or another podcast player
• Standard MP3 Feed: Subscribe via iTunes or another podcast player

About Philosophy in Action Radio

Philosophy in Action Radio applies rational principles to the challenges of real life in live internet radio shows on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. For information on upcoming shows, visit the Episodes on Tap. For podcasts of past shows, visit the Show Archives.