tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743841912028246535.post6843883278667102894..comments2023-10-10T06:48:40.299-03:00Comments on the feminist librarian: Booknotes: Therese Philosopheannajcookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17573723390785613915noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743841912028246535.post-68319842923326342102010-11-04T22:57:30.137-03:002010-11-04T22:57:30.137-03:00Also in French its around 120 pages??? Did you rea...Also in French its around 120 pages??? Did you read part two? And I forgot to mention materialism!Poultryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07662233296595487383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743841912028246535.post-10712381278138776882010-11-04T22:55:21.223-03:002010-11-04T22:55:21.223-03:00I'm glad you agree that the sex and philosophy...I'm glad you agree that the sex and philosophy go together because when you mentioned that fellow students thought "that either the smut was a ploy to sell the philosophy, or the philosophy was an excuse to write the smut" I was deeply saddened at their simplicity. In reading this novel you must read it in its historical context. The church reigned supreme during the eighteenth century and there was still a monarch (divinely chosen). It was when the "Lumieres" began to question the church and demanded that people "thought for themselves" and not strictly to the ideas of church and society. It is through Therese's sexual experiences that she understands the falsity of the church and can thus accept the philosophy that is contradictory to the dogmas of the church (déterminisme, sensualisme, even points of structuralisme although it didn't exist until the 1950's). Sorry I could go for pages explaining the pertinence of both the sexual exploits and philosophy but if one cannot discern their congruous importance then there is no reason to explain. In short, through sexuality Therese questions the church, which opens her conscience to philosophy. She understands that all religions are a cult, she understands there is no sin to sexuality because god created nature and nature installs sexual desires within us. Therese philosophe was written for picayune minds of the 18th century who needed a broadening of conscience but it is obviously applicable to today.Poultryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07662233296595487383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743841912028246535.post-10681359696606910072009-02-08T16:21:00.000-04:002009-02-08T16:21:00.000-04:00thanks for the answer. maybe i'll just wait to se...thanks for the answer. maybe i'll just wait to see if it comes up in one of my academic endeavors before cracking the spine. although it's definitely on my 'to-read' list now!colleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01419976438829453746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743841912028246535.post-4516513835274024752009-02-08T15:46:00.000-04:002009-02-08T15:46:00.000-04:00Good question, Colleen. On the one hand, "Therese...Good question, Colleen. On the one hand, "Therese" is a short read, about fifty pages. But the philosophical issues she's dealing with are fairly esoteric. Her sexual adventuring is all tied into a critique of the church and into materialist philosophy. So it's not exactly light reading. I definitely felt I got more out of it having read it in the context of a class, with some historical background.annajcookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17573723390785613915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743841912028246535.post-41133290950758071682009-02-08T14:04:00.000-04:002009-02-08T14:04:00.000-04:00just curious- is this a book that you'd consider s...just curious- is this a book that you'd consider something enjoyable to read for leisure? or more something that only works as a text in a class/intellectual discussion kind of situation? this sounds really interesting, but i don't want to start reading it if i'm not going to get much out of it without discussion/critical reviews/etc. thanks!colleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01419976438829453746noreply@blogger.com