Margaret Atherton (born 1943) is an American philosopher and

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

historian who is currently a Distinguished Professor Emerita in the Department of Philosophy at the

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW–Milwaukee, UWM, or Milwaukee) is a public urban research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is the largest university in the Milwaukee metropolitan area and a member of the University of Wiscons ...

, and was a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy there before her retirement. Atherton's research has focused on philosophers of the early modern period,

philosophy of psychology Philosophy of psychology is concerned with the philosophical foundations of the study of psychology. It deals with both epistemological and ontological issues and shares interests with other fields, including philosophy of mind and theoretical ps ...

(cognition and mind), and the work of

women philosophers A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardle ...

, as well as teaching the history of

modern philosophy Modern philosophy is philosophy developed in the modern era and associated with modernity. It is not a specific doctrine or school (and thus should not be confused with ''Modernism''), although there are certain assumptions common to much of it ...

Education

Atherton attained her A.B. in Philosophy at

Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr College ( ; Welsh: ) is a women's liberal arts college in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Founded as a Quaker institution in 1885, Bryn Mawr is one of the Seven Sister colleges, a group of elite, historically women's colleges in the United St ...

in 1965. In 1970, she received a Ph.D. in Philosophy from

Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , pro ...

; her dissertation "Nativism" initiated her philosophical work in

innate ideas Innatism is a philosophical and epistemological doctrine that the mind is born with ideas, knowledge, and beliefs. Therefore, the mind is not a ''tabula rasa'' (blank slate) at birth, which contrasts with the views of early empiricists such as J ...

Career

Atherton's book ''Women Philosophers of the Early Modern Period'' highlights historical women who have impacted philosophy. Atherton has published many articles, been featured in several journals, and asked to present her ideas at conferences and institutions throughout the years.

George Berkeley George Berkeley (; 12 March 168514 January 1753) – known as Bishop Berkeley (Bishop of Cloyne of the Anglican Church of Ireland) – was an Anglo-Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immate ...

and

John Locke John Locke (; 29 August 1632 – 28 October 1704) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment thinkers and commonly known as the "father of liberalism ...

are seen throughout her work and reviews. Atherton has engaged in research since the 1970s and has continued to develop her methods and expand her ideas. Atherton is a member of the British Society for the History of Philosophy, Hume Society, American Eighteenth Century Society,

International Berkeley Society The International Berkeley Society (IBS) is a US-based organization that is aimed at promoting interest in the life and work of the philosopher Bishop George Berkeley. Its president is currently Nancy Kendrick. Members and activities The societ ...

(Philosophy Associations Coordinator),

Society for Women in Philosophy The Society for Women in Philosophy was created in 1972 to support and promote women in philosophy. Since that time the Society for Women in Philosophy or "SWIP" has expanded to many branches around the world, including in the US, Canada, Ireland, ...

, and the

American Philosophical Association The American Philosophical Association (APA) is the main professional organization for philosophers in the United States. Founded in 1900, its mission is to promote the exchange of ideas among philosophers, to encourage creative and scholarly ...

. Atherton has been a professor of philosophy at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

Brooklyn College Brooklyn College is a public university in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York. It is part of the City University of New York system and enrolls about 15,000 undergraduate and 2,800 graduate students on a 35-acre campus. Being New York City's first publ ...

University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of Roc ...

, and

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

Works

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atherton, Margaret Living people Bryn Mawr College alumni Brandeis University alumni University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee faculty Philosophers from Wisconsin American women philosophers American women historians Feminist historians 20th-century American philosophers 20th-century American historians 21st-century American philosophers 21st-century American historians 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American women writers Place of birth missing (living people) Members of the American Philosophical Society Presidents of the American Philosophical Association Brooklyn College faculty 1943 births