Prompt 2

Megan O’Leary

Mrs. Wilhelmus

AP English Language

2 August 2013

Views on Gender

    Throughout history, women have been important figures and crucial to our world since the 

beginning of time. Sadly, they were seen as having less potential than men, and in most cases, were 

withheld from doing things men could do. One of these things, philosophizing, was and still is vital
 
to mankind. While reading Sophie’s World, I found it was obvious that men were the dominant 

gender. Two of the most famous Greek philosophers, Aristotle and Plato, had opposing views on 

women. I found myself frustrated with Aristotle’s opinions on gender, in agreement with Plato’s, and 

disappointed with society’s.

    I was somewhat appalled at Aristotle’s views on women. It is apparent that Aristotle saw women

as inferior to men when Alberto says Aristotle was more inclined to believe that women were 

incomplete in some way. I was upset upon learning this; it made no sense to me that an otherwise 

outstanding philosopher could be so wrong about this subject. In Aristotle’s eyes, a woman was an 

“unfinished man.” I strongly disagree with Aristotle’s judgmental and sexist views.

    In my opinion, Plato provided admirable answers to questions about gender. When writing about 

Plato’s views on the matter, Alberto states, “Women, he asserted, have exactly the same powers of 

reasoning as men, provided they get the same training and are exempt from child rearing and 

housekeeping.” By this, Plato is saying he sees women as having equal potential as men, but they are 

deprived of the proper education and training. I strongly agree with Plato’s words as they are 

extremely accurate in my eyes. Mentally, there is nothing men can do that women cannot.

    The fact that the vast majority of the authorities in the novel are men is disappointing but not 

surprising. The male thinkers and philosophers mentioned in the novel are brilliant, but women could 

be just as intelligent if given the appropriate instruction and practice. The majority of society had the 

wrong idea about women in my opinion. Women were oppressed and discriminated against of 

hundreds of years. This is disappointing, because if they had not been oppressed, women could have 

produced vital philosophies and advanced mankind further with knowledge. Plato said that a state 

that does not educate and train women is like a man who only trains his right arm, which reinforces 

this idea. This statement is clearly saying it is a waste of fruitful knowledge to deprive women of the 

same training as men.

    For thousands of years, men have been the dominant gender of philosophers. Aristotle saw women 

as incomplete and unable to think philosophically. Plato viewed women in a more positive light; he 

saw their potential and believed they were equal with men. Sophie’s World consisted mainly of the 

discussion of man’s philosophies, as women generally did not philosophize. This disappointed me 

along with Aristotle’s opinions, however, I did agree with Plato.