Kennon Rude

Professor Parsa

Philosophy 200

11 May 2016

Response #3

The summation of this article is Erin Whites article Religion and the Hermeneutics of

Gender: An Examination of the Work of Paul Ricoeur is that White addresses the common

faults in which Ricoeur makes the androcentric and patriarchal stand points in which he

deconstructs religious texts. The first aspect of the article White deconstructs Ricoeurs

philosophical approach to informational texts along with Ricouers approach to hermeneutics

from a feminist perspective.

White in the first page, mentions that It is easy to show that Ricoeurs interpretation of

specific symbols and texts is androcentric. This is unsurprising given the culture in which we of

the West live and interpret. What is not so easy to show, however, is that Ricouers hermeneutical

theory is also androcentric. The biggest take from this quote is that many of religious texts and

symbols throughout history promote this patriarchal ideology. However, Whites biggest

criticism is that Ricoeur acknowledges the problems with having an androcentric viewpoint, but

yet Ricoeur still has this mentality.

Once White deconstructs Ricoeurs Gender of Hermeneutic , White brings up Ricoeurs

feminist approach to hermeneutics is that Ricoeur brings in the notion that feminist hermeneutics

have a Freudian influence. In majority of the religious texts and ideals of the ancient, men were
conceived to be the stronger and more dominant role in these scriptures. However, feminists feel

that there should be a gynocentric viewpoint on the situation/scripture present as well rather than

just have the androcentric norm that modern society is used to seeing. But this goes against what

modern society and the morals that have developed over time with this ideology in mind.

I feel that every society has a western sphere of influence, in terms of their hierarchy and

social/political structure, society has an androcentric and patriarchal viewpoint. Whether it is

contemporary or it is considered old/ancient, these influences that other societies have on each

other dictate how and who will be the dominating gender. As long as a country has had a

Western influence, there will be a patriarchal influence within the society because this is what is

being taught from a young age. For a gynocentric approach to become more prevalent in society,

more societies have to be more willing and accepting of change.