Author Topic: Explaining Williamsons Syllogism (Read 1595 times)

Vladimir · « **on:** October 14, 2010, 10:17:18 PM »

Bishop Williamson's famous syllogism goes like this:

True universities are for ideas
True women are not meant for ideas

Therefore, true women are not meant for true universities

Please, can someone explain this for me?

Telesphorus · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2010, 12:29:38 AM »

Quote from: Vladimir

Bishop Williamson's famous syllogism goes like this:

True universities are for ideas
True women are not meant for ideas

Therefore, true women are not meant for true universities

Please, can someone explain this for me?

Do you know of many women who are actually deep thinkers?

Anyway, I'm not against education of women, but the university is a waste of time and money and a source of moral danger.

If the goal of the university is the development of ideas and women are not meant for that goal, then women are not meant for the university.

Belloc · « **Reply #2 on:** October 15, 2010, 07:55:43 AM »

at FE they are divided on him, with some taking NeoCath stances:

http://catholicforum.fisheaters.com/index.php/topic,3433378.0.html

That said, I think Williamson feels that women would do better to not focus on career and then at 40 say "opps, forgot to have a baby" syndrome. I work with several and several that spend 1/2 their day talking about their kids, trying to work out MD visits for them, taking a lot of time off,etc-instead of making motherhood a full time profession, working only when and if need be....or after the nest goes empty...

Kailyn · « **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2010, 04:37:44 PM »

I'm not sure I understand the reasoning behind the second proposition.

ora pro me · « **Reply #4 on:** October 17, 2010, 05:08:50 PM »

Vladimir,
Is this an actual quote of Bishop Williamson's or is it your understanding of his philosophy?

When the good bishop talks about the dangers of our modern universities I certainly agree with him.

As to ideas from true women, I can tell you that I won't be telling my mother that she was not meant for ideas. It was from her that I received much of the foundation of my Catholic education. It is necessary and wise to educate our girls as well as our boys, as it is the girls that grow up to be mothers and sisters who do most of the educating of our children.

The Church has benefited from the ideas of many holy women.
Just to name a few:
St. Teresa of Avila (whose feast we celebrated 2 days ago)
St. Catherine of Sienna
St. Catherine of Alexandria
St. Therese of Lisieux
St. Gertrude
St. Frances Cabrini

Vladimir · « **Reply #5 on:** October 17, 2010, 09:22:28 PM »

Quote from: ora pro me

Vladimir,
Is this an actual quote of Bishop Williamson's or is it your understanding of his philosophy?

When the good bishop talks about the dangers of our modern universities I certainly agree with him.

As to ideas from true women, I can tell you that I won't be telling my mother that she was not meant for ideas. It was from her that I received much of the foundation of my Catholic education. It is necessary and wise to educate our girls as well as our boys, as it is the girls that grow up to be mothers and sisters who do most of the educating of our children.

The Church has benefited from the ideas of many holy women.
Just to name a few:
St. Teresa of Avila (whose feast we celebrated 2 days ago)
St. Catherine of Sienna
St. Catherine of Alexandria
St. Therese of Lisieux
St. Gertrude
St. Frances Cabrini

I believe that it is an actual quotation from one of his Eleison Comments. I could be mistaken.

What is the reasoning behind the minor premise? To answer Telesphorus, no I do not know any women that are deep thinkers. But unless I can explain the premise that women aren't meant for "ideas", I don't know how my own opinion can ever stand any ground when I am trying to convince someone that women are not meant for "ideas".

I just had an interesting insight into this problem before I edited my post. I was typing in haste and wrote "women aren't meant to think" instead of "women are meant for 'ideas'". This displays the "knee-jerk" reaction of many people when they hear this said I think. There is a clear difference between the two.

What is Bishop Williamson's understanding of "ideas"?

Telesphorus · « **Reply #6 on:** October 17, 2010, 09:55:02 PM »

Quote from: Vladimir

But unless I can explain the premise that women aren't meant for "ideas", I don't know how my own opinion can ever stand any ground when I am trying to convince someone that women are not meant for "ideas".

Bishop Williamson put it indelicately. For the most part it is true, even very intelligent women tend not to be very thoughtful. There are exceptions of course.

Quote

I just had an interesting insight into this problem before I edited my post. I was typing in haste and wrote "women aren't meant to think" instead of "women are meant for 'ideas'". This displays the "knee-jerk" reaction of many people when they hear this said I think. There is a clear difference between the two.

What is Bishop Williamson's understanding of "ideas"?

I think Bishop Williamson's very indelicately put thesis (because it wounds feminine vanity) is that men of all ages have only exceptionally found the ideas of women to be important. It's not generally what woman is about. Not that most men are so clever, just that women, even intelligent women, tend not to have interesting ideas.

Telesphorus · « **Reply #7 on:** October 17, 2010, 09:58:29 PM »

Our Catholic ancestors obviously didn't see the university as a place for women. There was a reason, of course, and the reason was correct then and is correct now.

MaterDominici · « **Reply #8 on:** October 18, 2010, 01:01:04 AM »

Keep the other half in mind: "TRUE universities are meant for ideas." Most universities today are not that or at least are only that in part.

Even if a woman finds it necessary to go to a university, she's possibly not studying in the manner +Williamson is referring to. For a woman to be a nurse or primary school teacher, for example, she might have to attend a university and doing so wouldn't be contrary to her nature.