François Poullain de La Barre

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Book cover of the second edition (French) of "The Equality of the Sexes"

François Poullain de La Barre (* 1647 in Paris ; † 1723 in Geneva ) was a writer, Cartesian philosopher and , by the standards of the time, already showed progressive feminist approaches in his philosophy.

Life

Francois Poullain de la Barre was born in Paris in July 1648 . His family belonged to the Catholic bourgeoisie and he initially followed an educational path that was conventional for his social class. On July 15, 1663, when he was only 15 years old, he was awarded the title of "Maître ès Arts". Immediately afterwards he began studying theology at the Sorbonne , where he received a classical scholastic education. He completed the first phase of studies in 1666, after only three years, although five years were normally planned for it. A crisis of meaning followed, which was to lead to a departure from scholasticism and Catholicism .

In 1667 Poullain came into contact with Cartesianism for the first time . Descartes ' philosophy was a popular topic in the salons of the Parisian upper class at the time. Private, non-university lectures offered at least a limited freedom from institutional censorship. Attending these events was an important aspect of Poullain's socialization. From then on, Descartes' philosophy shaped his work.

Poullain left the Sorbonne without ever completing his theology studies with a doctorate. During this time he earned his living as a language teacher at a Paris school. A school book published anonymously in 1672 can now be assigned to him.

In the period between 1673 and 1675, Poullain wrote three essays on the “ question of women ”, in which he advocated for gender equality using Descartes' philosophy. Contrary to his expectations, his publications received little attention. He published the first editions of these works anonymously.

This is due to his dependence on the institutions church and academy, because his literary activity was never sufficient to secure a livelihood. In 1679, with the help of Gabriel de Flexelles, who was related to Poullain de la Barre and held an influential position in the church, Poullains was ordained properly. He then taught at the Collège de Fortet of the Sorbonne.

From the end of 1680 Poullain was assigned to the small community of La Flamengrie in Picardy . There he witnessed increasing repression against the Protestants living there. In April 1685 he moved to the much smaller and poorer community of Versigny . It has not been proven whether this was a disciplinary measure. On October 18, 1685, the repeal of the Édit de Nantes was signed.

About two and a half years later, he left Versigny in 1688 . After a short stay in Paris, he settled in Geneva. His conversion to Protestantism took place during the same period . In Geneva, Poullain also mostly operated under a new identity. Mostly he signed with FP de la Barre or Delabarre. Thanks to a good assessment by the bishop from the early phase in La Flamengrie and his connection to the prominent Perdriau family, he was able to quickly integrate into the upper class of the Calvinist republic. Despite his privileged position compared to other refugees, Poullain initially lived in rather insecure circumstances. In order to supplement his income, he gave French lessons to foreign nobles and published another French textbook in 1691.

In 1696, Poullain was again confronted with intellectual restrictions. The Geneva authorities accused him of socinianism , but acquitted him of all charges of heresy a month later. However, this damage to his reputation meant that he had to wait another ten years before being appointed to an official teaching position in Geneva. It was not until 1708 that he was finally appointed " regent de la seconde classe " (about: teacher of a tenth grade) at the Collège de Genève . There he had to adhere to a Calvinist curriculum. As an author, however, Poullain remained committed to Cartesianism. In his last publication, which appeared in 1720, he applied this in a comparative study of the Roman Catholic Church and Protestant teaching.

In 1716 Poullain was offered the title of "bourgeois de Genève" , a coveted award which honored his special service to the city of Geneva. He was married to Marie Ravier (1658–1742) since January 5, 1690, the couple had two children, the daughter Jeanne Charlotte Poulain de La Barre (1690–1746) and the son Jean Jaques Poulain de La Barre (1696– 1751).

Francois Poullain de la Barre died on May 4, 1723 in Geneva .

philosophy

Poullain's work is strongly influenced by René Descartes ' philosophy . At first he has fundamental doubts about scholastic philosophy . This appears to him as mere speculation on the basis of a multitude of prejudices, the conclusions of which authority plays a greater role than a scientific method. For Poullain, this results in some absurd assumptions that cannot withstand the simplest examination. His idea of ​​science is based on the Cartesian separation of mind and body. In addition to the physical existence, which is God-given and therefore always perfect, characterize the human being with his consciousness, which allows him to experience beyond purely mechanical survival. Like Descartes, Poullain assumes that people are able to recognize and describe their environment. For Poullain, science ultimately means nothing more than the serious application of this skill. Knowledge arises accordingly through the development of clear terms.

Consciousness is reserved for people (and distinguishes them from animals, for example) and, moreover, it is the most evenly distributed good among all people. So it is a decisive characteristic of the human in itself. Science according to Poullain's understanding is therefore equally accessible to all people and it also gives them the opportunity to emancipate themselves from scholastic confusions through training the mind. This egalitarian interpretation of Cartesian doctrine can also be found in his conception of society, which arises from the humanity of the individual (not from a set of predetermined roles) and in which everyone (regardless of physical characteristics) can in principle take any social position.

In the three essays on the “women's question”, Cartesianism is the starting point for a feminist critique of the existing social conditions and the scientific practice of its time. Poullain considers the natural inequality of the sexes to be a prejudice par excellence that needs to be overcome in order to enable knowledge. The mind has no gender. He sees socialization in the sense of male rule as the cause of the existing inequalities. To this end, Poullain positions himself strategically, for example by writing a history of the patriarchy and developing empowerment strategies for women. Education is at the center of his emancipatory project.

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Poullain's first known writing is a textbook. It was published in 1672. In Les Rapports de la langue latine avec la françoise pour traduire élégament et sans peine. Avec un recueil étymologique & methodique de cinq mille mots françois tirez immédiatement du latin , he provides assistance in translating Latin into French.

Three essays on the "question of women"

In France there has been a debate about the social positioning of women since the Middle Ages, which is now referred to as “ Querelle des femmes ” (women's question). Poullain took part in it with three successive treatises. In it he processed the Cartesian philosophy according to his concern to work towards an absolute social equality of the sexes. Poullain wrote the three books within just three years and initially published them anonymously.

The first contribution ( Égalité) is a systematic examination of the patriarchy and a subsequent plea for absolute equality between the sexes. The second book ( Éducation) is a guide to possible emancipatory practice for women. The third treatise ( Excellence) is a comparison of the assumptions of scholasticism and Poullain's own arguments.

During this time, the prevailing view was that there was a natural inequality between the sexes. This assumption was based not only on advocates of the patriarchy, but also many authors who advocated an improved position of women. Poullain, on the other hand, considered this to be pure prejudice and corresponding investigations consequently to be unfounded speculation, the validity of which resulted from a false belief in custom and tradition. In accordance with his Cartesian approach, Poullain in Égalité questions the natural validity of custom and tradition. Instead, he identifies authority, and especially male supremacy, as crucial. To justify this, Poullain provides a history of patriarchy in which he tries to derive the origin of female submission. He combines this with a socialization theory, according to which the status quo can be explained by an interplay of male dominance and internalization processes. He concludes:

"Everything that men have written about women must be suspect, because they are both judge and party".

Both for his criticism of science and for his vision of absolute equality between the sexes, his belief in the knowing subject and in the power of consciousness is central. For Poullain scholastic science is a confusion of the mind that perpetuates inequality and prevents knowledge. On the other hand, only allow the mind to recognize and overcome this. Poullain assumes Descartes' dualistic separation of body and mind. Only physical characteristics are given by nature that guarantee the mechanical functioning of humans (but also animals) and their survival. Regardless of this, the spirit (as the genuinely human) characterizes every human being. This gives Poullain's view of gender:

“It is not difficult to establish that the difference between the sexes relates only to the body: essentially there is only this one part which is used for human reproduction; and since the spirit only needs to give its consent and it does it in the same way with everyone, one can conclude that it has no gender. "

Women are therefore able to take any social position. Their social situation alone makes them appear weaker. Poullain therefore places education at the center of his concern. Following his findings, he gives the men little trust in this regard. Instead, he addresses women directly as an enlightened audience, which is quite unusual in his time. In Éducation , Poullain provides a set of self-empowerment tools for women. It begins with an introduction to Descartes' philosophy and encourages doubts about the status quo and trust in one's own mind. This is followed, among other things, by literature recommendations and considerations on strategic action and self-protection measures in a hostile environment.

In the foreword, Poullain announced that he would write an equivalent treatise on “raising children”. But he never put this into practice. The treatise is preceded by a letter from Poullains to the Duchess of Orléans, the cousin of King Louis XIV, in which he requests her assistance.

Even after the publication of Égalité , Poullain had expected a controversial public debate and expected strong headwinds, especially from the scholastic camp. Instead, his writings went largely unnoticed. Poullain in Excellence takes this into account. By re-examining the premises of scholasticism in detail, he examines his own arguments for validity. This also includes an alternative interpretation of the Bible.

Late work

Two works by Poullain are known from his time in Geneva, which are to be seen in connection with renewed intellectual restrictions, this time by the Protestant authorities, and an uncertain maintenance situation. Essai des remarques particulières sur la langue françoise pour la ville de Genève , a textbook on the correct use of the French language, is related to his work as a French teacher and the search for permanent employment.

In La Doctrine des protestants sur la liberté de lire l'Ecriture Sainte, le Service Divin en langue entendu, l'Invocation des Saints, le Sacrement de l'Eucharistie. Justifiée par le MISSEL ROMAIN et par des Réflexions sur chaque Point. Avec un Commentaire philosophique sur ses Paroles de JESUS ​​CHRIST, Ceci est mon corp, Ceci est mon sang, Matth. Chap. XXVI, v. 26 , a reflection on the differences between the Catholic Church and Protestant teaching, he expands his Cartesian approach to questions of faith and brings the denominations closer together. The city of Geneva responded with disapproval.

reception

Poullain's work is based on a number of feminist authors. He frequented the salons of the so-called precieuses . These places were run by women from the Parisian upper class, who turned against the foreign definition of their gender and were particularly concerned with education. Marie Le Jars de Gournay (É galité des hommes et des femmes , 1622 ) was an influential writer from this group. From her Poullain takes on the call for absolute equality of the sexes and the argument that the soul is unaffected by the physique and therefore genderless, which is the basis of her demand for education. In criticizing the authority of ancient philosophy and the church, Poullain relies on Christine de Pizan ( City of Ladies , 1405). This also inspires his attempt to abstract from his own status in his work.

Sometimes Poullain's work is interpreted as a critical reaction to Molière's parodies of the Precieuses ( Les femmes savantes , 1672; Les Précieuses ridicules, 1659 ).

In France, Poullain's work, especially Égalité , was reprinted several times up to the end of the 17th century. However, his ideas went largely unnoticed. Only at the beginning of the 20th century was reference made to his writings again. Simone de Beauvoir prefaces her book Le deuxième sexe (1949) with a quote from Poullains. Poullain's ideas gained comparatively greater importance in Great Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries, although his name is rarely mentioned. His texts were mostly published in the form of plagiarism.

The prominence of the opposing positions in excellence was initially misinterpreted as a relenting of Poullains and later read as a break in his work. From the preface and the concluding remarks, however, it emerges that Poullain does not deviate from his emancipatory concerns.

Works

  • Les Rapports de la langue latine avec la françoise pour traduire élégament et sans peine. Avec un recueil étymologique & methodique de cinq mille mots françois tirez immédiatement du latin , C. Thibout, Paris, 1672
  • De l'Égalité des deux sexes, discours physique et moral où l'on voit l'importance de se défaire des préjugés , Jean du Puis, Paris, 1673
  • De l'Éducation des dames pour la conduite de l'esprit dans les sciences et dans les mœurs, entretiens , Jean du Puis, Paris, 1674
  • De l'Excellence des hommes contre l'égalité des sexes , Jean du Puis, Paris, 1675
  • Essai des remarques particulières sur la langue françoise pour la ville de Genève , Geneva, 1691
  • La Doctrine des protestants sur la liberté de lire l'Ecriture Sainte, le Service Divin en langue entendu, l'Invocation des Saints, le Sacrement de l'Eucharistie. Justifiée par le MISSEL ROMAIN et par des Réflexions sur chaque Point. Avec un Commentaire philosophique sur ses Paroles de JESUS ​​CHRIST, Ceci est mon corp, Ceci est mon sang, Matth. Chap. XXVI, v. 26 , Fabri & Barrillot, Geneva, 1720

Works online

See also

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  1. Alcover, Madeleine: Poullain de la Barre: une aventure philosophique , Paris; Seattle, Papers on French seventeenth century literature, 1981.
  2. Christine Fauré, Poullain de la Barre, sociologue et libre penseur , Corpus n o 1, 1985 pp 43-51.
  3. Geneviève Fraisse, Poullain de la Barre, ou le procès the préjugés , Corpus n o 1, 1985 pp 27-41.
  4. Hauser, Margit: Image of society and the role of women in the Enlightenment, On the development of the egalitarian and complementary gender role concept in Poullain de la Barre , Passagen Verlag, Vienna, 1992.
  5. Hierdeis, Irmgard: 'The equality of the sexes' and 'The education of women' in Poullain de la Barre (1647-1723): Zur Modernität eines Vergessenen , Lang, 1993.
  6. Maistre Welch, Marcelle: François Poullain de la Barre: Three Cartesian Feminist Treatises , The University of Chicago Press, London, 2002.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ François Poulain de la Barre: The equality of the sexes . Manchester University Press ND: New York 1990 - In English by Desmond M. Clarke, p. 4 - ISBN 0719032024
  2. ^ Albert Choisy, Louis-Théophile Dufour-Vernes: Recueil généalogique suisse. Première série, Genève, Tome III, A. Jullien Libraire-Éditeur, Genève 1918, pp. 273–275 [1]
  3. ↑ a b Irmgard Hierdeis: 'The equality of the sexes' and 'The education of women' in Poullain de la Barre (1647–1723): On the modernity of a forgotten . Lang, 1993.
  4. ^ Alcover, Madeleine: Poullain de la Barre: une aventure philosophique . In: Papers on French seventeenth century literature . Paris, Seattle 1981.
  5. ^ Maistre Welch, Marcelle: François Poullain de la Barre: Three Cartesian Feminist Treatises . The University of Chicago Press, London 2002.
personal data
SURNAME La Barre, François Poullain de
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French philosopher
DATE OF BIRTH 1647
PLACE OF BIRTH Paris
DATE OF DEATH 1723
Place of death Geneva