Women Philosophers of the Early Modern Period

An important selection from the largely unknown writings of women philosophers of the early modern period. Each selection is prefaced by a headnote giving a biographical account of its author and setting the piece in historical context. Atherton’s Introduction provides a solid framework for assessing these works and their place in modern philosophy.

Reviews:

“A very useful collection, welcome both for the intrinsic merit and historical significance of the ideas and arguments the volume contains, and for its pedagogical potential.”
    —Peter Loptson, Canadian Philosophical Reviews

CONTENTS:

• Introduction
• 1. Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia, Correspondence with Descartes
• 2. Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle, Philosophical Letters
• 3. Anne Viscountess Conway of Newcastle, The Principles of the Most Ancient and Modern Philosophy
• 4. Damaris Cudworth, Lady Masham, Correspondence with Leibniz
• 5. Mary Astell, A Serious Proposal to the Ladies
• 6. Catharine Trotter Cockburn, A Defense of Mr. Locke's Essay of Human Understanding
• 7. Lady Mary Shepherd, Essays on the Perception of an External Universe Bibliography.