MOTHERHOOD
PHILOSOPHY FOR EVERYONE

If you have ever wondered what makes a "good" or a "bad" mother, or if mothers are always right in thinking their babies are beautiful, or indeed, whether mother always knows best, look no further. Without a single nag, Motherhood - Philosophy for Everyone covers these salient philosophical issues, and more, including:

• The anticipation of impending parenthood compared with the reality
• Should we tell the occasional lie to our children?
• What does the Bible actually say about the virgin birth?
• If we were able to turn our children off, would and should we be tempted by this option?
• The experience of lesbian mothering
• The unexpected challenges and complications of being a mother

"As in any group of thinkers, some mothers are more ambitiously reflective than others, either out of temperamental thoughtfulness, moral and political concerns, or, most often, because they have serious problems with their children. However, maternal thinking is no rarity. Maternal work itself demands that mothers think..."
From Maternal Thinking: Toward A Politics of Peace, Sara Ruddick

About the Author

Editor

SHEILA LINTOTT is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Bucknell University, and the mother of two children.

Series Editor

FRITZ ALLHOFF is an Assistant Professor in the Philosophy Department at Western Michigan University, as well as a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University's Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics.

Reviews
"This book opens the doors about Motherhood and covers a range of issues mother's face in a refreshing and thought provoking way." (Motherhoodsupport.com, 22 March 2011)

"The series editors were ... smart to divide it into two volumes instead of creating a single book on parenting in general. While there are many questions that apply to the parent role in itself, half the fun is the opportunity for the authors and readers to consider what issues might be thought of as unique to one particular parental role versus another. One of the virtues of these collections is how they demonstrate the ways in which the study of philosophy can really assist us in addressing concrete dilemmas. Measuring the success of collections like these turns on what you expect from them, and I think these two pull it off. The articles are well-written, touches of humour are sprinkled throughout, and the authors can translate complex philosophical theories into a readable format. They apply their work to questions that matter, and even when you don't agree with what they say, there's enough substance here to create an interesting discussion." (The Philosopher's Magazine, 23 March 2011)

"Subtitled "The Birth of Wisdom", a new book called Motherhood: Philosophy For Everyone calls for a more pragmatic approach to being a mum, in which we are not constantly comparing ourselves to others." (Family Interest, December 2010)

"An unusual look at motherhood by several philosophers, which covers ground-such as whether it is ever acceptable to lie to your children- not often explored in maternity books. Thought provoking." (Mother and Baby, December 2010)

Book Information
ISBN 9781444330281
Author Fritz Allhoff
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Wiley-Blackwell
Publisher John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Weight(grams) 361g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 147mm * 19mm