Sandra Harding - 'Rethinking Standpoint Epistemology: What Is "Strong Objectivity"?'

I had a tough time wrapping my head around this reading, so hopefully this response is at least on the right track :) . Philosophy is unfortunately not my forte. I’m looking forward to Tuesday’s class so that I can gain some much needed clarity on this reading.

For Harding, strong objectivity stems from the notion that social situation both organizes and limits our ability to understand the world. By starting off thought with those at the bottom of our social hierarchies, we will be able to walk away with a fresher and less distorted account to the whole social order. I happen to agree with Harding’s model here, but I also think that the concerns mentioned under the subsection ‘Standpoint Theory vs. Ethnocentrism’ are valid. At first glance, it does appear that standpoint epistemology claims that women’s lives provide a superior starting point. Does this mean that those belonging to the dominant groups discussed in this essay are always incapable of generating the illuminating critical questions that standpoint epistemology is seeking? Is it not inherently bias to make such a claim? And also, what is to say that by starting with those at the bottom of our social hierarchies that we will necessarily reach the goal of generating these new critical questions?

Whether or not Judith Butler would embrace standpoint theory is an interesting question. In the essay ‘Subjects of Sex/Gender/Desire,’ Butler is not only seeking to find ways in which women can become fully represented, but to also understand how the category of “women” is culturally constructed. It would appear that the best way to do this would be to start off thought from the marginalized category of women.