Rational education One of Wollstonecraft's central arguments in the Rights of Woman is that women should be educated in a rational manner to give them the opportunity to contribute to society. In the eighteenth century, it was often assumed by educational philosophers and conduct book writers, who wrote what one might think of as early self-help books,Batchelor, Jennie. "Conduct Book." The Literary Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14 May 2007. that women were incapable of rational or abstract thought. Women, it was believed, were too susceptible to sensibility and too fragile to be able to think clearly. Wollstonecraft, along with other female reformers such as Catharine Macaulay and Hester Chapone, maintained that women were indeed capable of rational thought and deserved to be educated. She argued this point in her own conduct book, Thoughts on the Education of Daughters (1787), in her children's book, Original Stories from Real Life (1788), as well as in the Rights of Woman.Wollstonecraft, Vindications, 169ff; Kelly, 123; Taylor, 14–15; Sapiro, 27–28; 243–244.
rational education one of wollstonecraft's central arguments in the rights of woman is that women should be educated in a rational manner to give them the opportunity to contribute to society in the eighteenth century it was often assumed by educational philosophers and conduct book writers who wrote what one might think of as early self-help booksbatchelor jennie "conduct book" the literary encyclopedia retrieved 14 may 2007 that women were incapable of rational or abstract thought women it was believed were too susceptible to sensibility and too fragile to be able to think clearly wollstonecraft along with other female reformers such as catharine macaulay and hester chapone maintained that women were indeed capable of rational thought and deserved to be educated she argued this point in her own conduct book thoughts on the education of daughters (1787) in her children's book original stories from real life (1788) as well as in the rights of womanwollstonecraft vindications 169ff; kelly 123; taylor 14–15; sapiro 27–28; 243–244