•crucial for moral development and for society to function as close to ideal as possible.
•Equality
•advocated education for women
Mary Wollstonecraft
Olympe de Gouges
One of
the offshoots of Enlightenment philosophy was a changed view of the role of
women in society. Enlightenment thinkers held reason supreme and valued
education as the best way to develop a person. They also viewed education as
crucial for moral development and for society to function as close to ideal
as possible. Many thinkers, therefore, advocated education for women;
however, they differed on the specific things they believed women should be
taught, and most male thinkers did not extend their arguments to advocate
full equality for women. Not surprisingly, some women disagreed with this
position and wrote important works advocating equality for women.
