Reading the canon of philosophy can give the appearance that great advances in human knowledge have come about solely through the efforts of men such as Plato, Aristotle, and Wittgenstein. The Encyclopedia of Concise Concepts by Women Philosophers is an effort to counter that misconception with a comprehensive overview of important concepts and ideas developed by women philosophers. On the page linked above, visitors can explore entries organized by "Concepts" originated or advanced by a woman philosopher (e.g., justice, religious freedom); philosophical "Keywords" (e.g., good life, positivism); "Philosophers" who have typically been omitted from the canon of philosophy (e.g., Anne Bradstreet, Ban Zhao); and "Contributors" whose scholarship and expertise has kept the works of these women philosophers alive. Each entry is only 100-300 words, offering a concise introduction, with links to important primary and secondary sources. The encyclopedia is an initiative of the Center for the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists, whose mission is to use the tools of the digital humanities to "show that women have influenced the development of scientific and philosophical thought in various ways throughout history." The center is directed by Ruth Hagengruber of Paderborn University in Germany and advised by Mary Ellen Waithe of Cleveland State University, with funding from Paderborn University and the Ministry for Culture and Science in North Rhine-Westphalia. Readers are encouraged to engage further with the project and its resources, including opportunities for scholarly study, workshops and events, and ongoing projects, all of which can be found in the menu at the top of the page.
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