Masculine domination and power in modern Philosophy

The aim of this study is to investigate the masculine character of reason and reveal how the masculinity is established by philosophy from Antiquity to modernity. The main argument of the thesis is based on the critique of reason and its problematic image from masculine point of view in philosophy; as a matter of fact, when considering reason critically, it can be observed that the reason is gendered in philosophy down the ages. This argument already has arisen from attempts to overcome the dichotomic thinking of mainstream philosophy and from attempts to redefine the old conceptions of reason, rationality, objectivity, knowing, etc. with the contributions of feminist philosophers but it needs to examine more carefully to overcome all the problematic dichotomies in terms of ontological, epistemological and political grounds. Therefore it is aimed that to start a discussion about the scientific, epistemological and political structures in modern philosophy. When considered from this point of view, Plato, Machiavelli, Bacon and Descartes can be seen as the most known initiator of the conception of "masculine reason". In other respects, Spinoza, Rousseau and Kant have an important role due to their systems can be seen as critical approaches to common conception of reason. Thus, the influences of these philosopher's systems on masculinity is evaluated. Meanwhile, it is tried to demonstrate the relationship between power and knowledge as an instrument of domination and its connection to the masculine character of reason.