Philosophy 1020 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Essentialism, Determinism, Sociobiology
22 Sep 2016
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Gender is something we apply to ourselves and each other based on our sex. The strong association between sex and gendered characteristics leads us to believe that such qualities or characteristics are inherent, biological, or natural . Biological determinism: the argument that differences in ability, demeanor, attitudes, and expectations are natural and rooted in biology. Social construction: the argument that differences in ability, demeanor, attitudes, and expectations are learned, produced, and reinforced by and through our experiences with others. We need to be taught our gender often, lessons are based on what our sex is. Limits to both biological determinism and social construction. The differences between men and women are assigned value: we construct inferiority (and superiority) through observations about difference. Patriarchy: a hierarchical system of social organization that is rooted in essentialized ideas about gender. Hierarchy: built upon assumptions of superiority and inferiority (one person/group at the top, others necessarily below)
