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Anna Doyle Wheeler (1785–1848): Philosopher, Socialist, Feminist∗

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2020

Margaret McFadden
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Abstract

This essay examines the life and work of early socialist thinker Anna Doyle Wheeler, who, with the Owenite theorist William Thompson, was author of The Appeal of One Half the Human Race, Women, Against the Pretentions of the Other Half, Men … (1825). In analyzing her thought, I employ a typological model for the development of a feminist consciousness proposed by Michèle Riot-Sarcey and Eleni Varikas (1986). These authors posit three types of a feminist “pariah” consciousness: 1) exceptional woman feminism 2) subversive feminism, and 3) collective feminism. Within this framework Anna Wheeler falls between positions one and two; she was an exceptional or token woman who nevertheless advocated subversive feminist doctrines of radical change, including calls for collective female action (in which she nonetheless did not participate). The essay ends with a discussion of Wheeler's relationship to William Thompson as example of woman's traditional access to philosophy, that is, through a male mentor.

Type
Research Article
Information
Hypatia , Volume 4 , Issue 1: Special Issue: The History of Women in Philosophy , Spring 1989 , pp. 91 - 101
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 by Hypatia, Inc.

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Footnotes

∗

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Third International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, July 6–10, 1987. The beginning research was carried out and presented in a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar, “The Woman Question in Western Thought,” Department of History, Stanford University, 1986. I would like to thank the following for their helpful suggestions throughout the writing process: Karen Offen (Seminar Director), Catherine Boyd, Bud Gerber, Gail Savage, and Eleni Varikas.

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