Challenges of Authorship in Historical Philosophy

The episode highlights the difficulties historians face when trying to attribute authorship to works by women in philosophy. Many texts from pre-modern times, even when attributed to women, often raise questions about their authenticity and true authorship. For instance, claims around female philosophers like Diotima and Hildegard of Bingen hint at the complicated nature of historical attribution, as scholars grapple with their potential influences from male contemporaries. This ongoing debate reflects a historical bias where sophisticated texts were often presumed to be beyond the capability of women, but there is a modern shift towards uncovering and acknowledging the contributions of women thinkers.