NATURE'S BODY: Gender in the Making of Modern Science.

Schiebinger, Londa.

ISBN 10: 0807089001 / ISBN 13: 9780807089002

Published by Beacon Press, Boston, 1993

About this Item

First printing. A book which "concentrates on 17th- and 18th-century European developments in taxonomy and physical anthropology to show how the European male became the prototype of the human race; how women were reduced to a subset noted only for sexual differences; and how people of color were placed at inferior levels of the great chain of being, on a par with apes. By celebrating sexuality in plants, Erasmus, Darwin, and Linneaus did much to set the stage for thinking of females in terms of sexuality alone - leading Linneaus to choose the term 'mammals' to distinguish the order of warmblooded, hairy animals - -but also to underscore women's role as nurturing caretakers. More shocking was the scholars' concern with female genitalia and sexual characteristics." (Kirkus) Winner of the 1994 Society for Social Studies of Science Ludwik Fleck Prize which noted that her "incisive book draws timely attention to the critical roles of language, metaphor, and ideology in the development of science." INSCRIBED by the author on the half title page to the late Oklahoma collector Larry Owens. Illustrated with reproductions of vintage drawings. Extensive notes, bibliography, index. viii, 289 pp. Fine in fine dust jacket. Uncommon in the first edition, and especially so signed,

Seller Inventory # 81602

Bibliographic Details

• Title: NATURE'S BODY: Gender in the Making of Modern Science.
• Publisher: Beacon Press, Boston
• Publication Date: 1993
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0807089001
• ISBN 13: 9780807089002
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: FINE
• Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Women's Studies

About this title

Synopsis

A look at the way scientists see the world shows how Carl Linnaeus' discovery of the taxonomic scheme was informed by a particular moment in European sexual politics.

Reviews

Much has been written about discrimination against women in science, including assertions that brain size and temperament precluded their ability to study and succeed. Schiebinger (History/Penn State; The Mind Has No Sex?, 1989) adds considerably more: She concentrates on 17th- and 18th-century European developments in taxonomy and physical anthropology to show how the European male became the prototype of the human race; how women were reduced to a subset noted only for sexual differences; and how people of color were placed at inferior levels of the great chain of being, on a par with apes. By celebrating sexuality in plants, Erasmus, Darwin, and Linneaus did much to set the stage for thinking of females in terms of sexuality alone--leading Linneaus to choose the term ``mammals'' to distinguish the order of warmblooded, hairy animals--but also to underscore women's role as nurturing caretakers. More shocking was the scholars' concern with female genitalia and sexual characteristics. The ideal breast was the pointed hemisphere of the European female, and Circassian women set the standard for beauty- -hence the name ``Caucasian'' for the white race. Pendulous breasts were inferior--and African; so were enlarged labia. It appears that collectors and dissectors had a field day measuring vaginal angles and clitoral lengths, and attributing massive labia to various African females, including the ``Hottentot Venus'' brought to Europe for study. For most readers, it's bad enough to know that Aristotle and other ancient and medieval scholars were dupes to fable and traveler's tales. To learn that the dawn of modern science was equally clouded by politics, prejudice--and prurience- -won't surprise feminist scholars but is disheartening. Schiebinger concludes with fresh insights on who should do science, as well as with further dismal accounts of tales of 20th- century bias. The very fact that she and others have enriched the record by their scholarly expos‚s, however, offers hope for the future. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

In a fascinating, informative, and well-argued book, Schiebinger examines how knowledge has been molded by science's inclusion and exclusion of subjects and workers as well as by social and political struggles. She focuses upon the eighteenth century and begins with Linnaeus and botanical classification, especially its sexual aspects, going on to the social origins and consequences as well as the gender politics that surrounded the great taxonomist's introduction of the term mammalia (Schiebinger advances other terms he could have chosen). Schiebinger subsequently chronicles the rise of scientific racism and sexism and examines the place of females in the great chain of being, raising provocative, pertinent questions such as why was the skull, not the pelvis, selected as the basic unit for anatomical investigation? Carefully selected illustrations support the text's arguments, as do some 70 pages of notes and bibliography. William Beatty

This historical study explores the influence of sex roles in the development of modern science, much of which has been defined by the science of the 18th century; today's names, viewpoints, and approaches reflect the sexual and racial prejudices of 18th-century European men. Schiebinger ( The Mind Has No Sex , LJ 11/1/89) looks closely at a few illustrative cases, including botanists' use of erotic language to describe plant reproduction, Linneaus's decision to name a group of animals mammals even though breasts are not the most prominent unifying characteristic, and the discovery of apes and how scientists defined their relationship to human males and females. She concludes with a very good discussion of 18th-century perceptions of race and sex roles. Highly recommended for all libraries.
- Eric D. Al bright, Galter Health Sciences Lib., Northwestern Univ., Chicago
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.