Thomas Hobbes on Sex | Susanne Sreedhar | 3/1/22
Thomas Hobbes on Sex
Susanne Sreedhar
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Boston University
March 1st @ 4:30 PM - FND 322
Seventeenth-century English philosopher Thomas Hobbes made ambiguous remarks about sex difference, which has caused controversy among scholars. On the one hand, he adamantly denies that men are naturally superior to women and insists that the relationship between the sexes cannot be settled without a fight. On the other hand, he seems to suggest that men are more suited to positions of rule. Sreedhar's interpretation of Hobbes on the question of gender equality takes the deciding factor to be the logic of his overall project. She will argue that Hobbes goes beyond claiming that gender is irrelevant to determining political power; ultimately, he insists that it is pernicious to inquire into the possibility of sex difference in the first place.
