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A Sociobiological Defense of Aristotle's Sexual Politics

This article defends Aristotle and sociobiology against their feminist critics by arguing that a biological conception of human nature rightly understood can support feminism. Aristotle's telelogical biology is not sexist. On the contrary, his biology suggests lines of argument that could vindicate feminism in some form. By arguing for marital friendship as the standard for judging spousal relationships, and by defending family life, and particularly maternal caregiving, as the natural root of all social ity and politics, Aristotle elevates the claims of women and suggests that the fullest human excellence would combine masculine and feminine incli nations.

Aristotle's functional teleology sustains a conception of natural human needs and powers as universal despite the variability of cultures. Without such an understanding of a universal human nature, feminists are tempted to adopt a cultural relativism that renders their critique of patriarchy incoherent. Furthermore, this defense of Aristotle applies as well to socio biological accounts of human sexual nature.

International Political Science Review, Vol. 15, No. 4, 389-415 (1994)
DOI: 10.1177/019251219401500405


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