Definitions of Feminist Terminology of Values

Nancy Arden McHugh, 2007 Feminist Philosophies A-Z

Masculinist 

A theory, action, principle or value is masculinist when it presents a view that reflects only the experiences of men in a culture and thus presents an incomplete and inaccurate view of the social, epistemological, ethical and political arrangements of that culture. Masculinist theories or practices not only deny the experiences of women as important and worthy of study, they also deny the importance of women and women’s voices in the generation of knowledge, ethical decision-making and political activity.

I believe I have worked in a masculinist company, where many of my male colleagues denied the experiences of female managers (along with black and gay people), and completely dismissed the validity of women's voices in any form of association with knowledge, or decision making.   I had not thought of it in this way before.

In some ways I find some sympathy with many masculinist theories - e.g. Freud.  If he really was one of the originators of psychology, as a man, he was only able to perceive from the masculine viewpoint and until more people worked in the field, the differences between men and woman could not be realised.  This is why it is so difficult to identify what your assumptions are - if they truly are assumptions, they are probably unconscious.

However having said that, working in this environment where employment policies have been written in a machinist style, as a woman, is not a pleasant experience.  

Contextual values 

A term used by feminist philosopher of science Helen Longino in Science as Social Knowledge (1990) to indicate non-cognitive values, that is values that are not strictly part of practices of science but nonetheless play a role in scientific decision-making. Preferences, beliefs and cultural norms are contextual values. These include things like theory preference based on masculinist values or preferring a theory because the physical location in which one does research makes certain data more convincing. Contextual values play a role in scientific objectivity. Some feminist philosophers of science see contextual values as unavoidable, but argue that they need to be acknowledged and mitigated by a diversity of views.

Longino, Helen 

Longino’s work in philosophy of science is classified as feminist empiricism. She argues that science should be understood to be a social practice. Because science is a social practice operates within the values and norms of the its community, she question whether an objective science is possible. Longino argues that scientific knowledge contains background assumptions as well as contextual values, which are non-cognitive values that are not strictly part of the practices of science but which underly the process. She asserts that objectivity in scientific practice is a matter of the degree to which a community practices a set of criteria that Longino argues is objectivity promoting. Among these is equality of intellectual authority, community response and shared community standards. Longino argues scientific knowledge or science’s cognitive capacities are themselves social or interactive. Furthermore, Longino argues that scientific knowledge needs to be studied in its complex local contexts.

I would propose that (masculinist) art organisations also need to consider whether female values are represented consistently, with no background assumptions made about the appropriateness of displaying such work.