Quinean inspiration in feminist epistemology: on the potential alliance between naturalism and feminism

Abstract

This article focuses on a critical analysis of some feminist epistemological initiatives that have been inspired by W. V. O. Quine’s project to naturalise epistemology. It identifies the points of convergence between feminist and naturalistic approaches to the problem of knowledge and science, as well as the means whereby the similarities between these two approaches are reflected at the meta-epistemological level. It also looks at the empiricist focus of naturalising feminist approaches in order to highlight the fruitfulness of this epistemological strategy evolving in collaboration with empirical science. This aim of this study is to argue in favour of the view that the naturalistic perspective is particularly suited to feminist epistemological projects that offer critical reflections on science.

Keywords

• naturalised epistemology
• w. v. o. quine
• feminist epistemology
• values
• the subject of knowledge