Social Constructs (or, 'What is A Woman, Really?')

Summary

In this thought-provoking script, Philosophy Tube delves into the concept of social constructs, using the metaphor of Earths with varying societal norms to explore the nature of properties like gender and race. The video unpacks metaphysics, distinguishing between intrinsic and relational properties, and challenges viewers to consider the implications of these constructs on identity and society. It suggests that our understanding and application of these categories are not fixed but are subject to change, highlighting the intersection of philosophy, politics, and justice.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Abigail discusses body modifications and introduces the concept of social constructs in philosophy.
• 🛠️ Philosophical inspiration often comes from passionate, yet unexamined, viewpoints expressed by people.
• 💬 The concept of 'Mother' as a social construct sparked a metaphysical debate on the forum Mumsnet.
• 🌌 Metaphysics explores fundamental questions about existence, such as the nature of objects and their properties.
• 🧩 Philosophers distinguish between intrinsic properties (inseparable from objects) and relational properties (dependent on context).
• 🗂️ Social categories like 'being a woman' or 'being black' can be intrinsic, relational, or something else entirely.
• 🌍 An analogy using Earth Two and Earth Zero explores how different societies construct and value social categories.
• ⚾ Using baseball, Asta's theory illustrates how social constructs track underlying properties to serve purposes in social contexts.
• 🧬 Homeostatic property clusters explain how vague bunches of properties, like 'coolness,' are socially conferred.
• 🕵️ The discussion touches on how disagreements in social constructs can impact lives, particularly in contexts like gender and race.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in the Philosophy Tube video script?

The main topic of the script is the concept of social constructs, particularly focusing on the philosophical debate around what constitutes a social construct and how they relate to intrinsic properties and our understanding of the world.

What is the purpose of the Mumsnet forum thread mentioned in the script?

The Mumsnet forum thread serves as a real-world example that sparked the discussion in the script, specifically the debate on whether 'mother' is a social construct, highlighting the strong emotional reactions people can have towards such philosophical questions.

What is the difference between intrinsic and relational properties according to the script?

Intrinsic properties are those that cannot be separated from the object itself, like the three sides of a triangle. Relational properties, on the other hand, depend on the object's relationship to something else, such as the property 'being next to me' which changes if my location changes.

What is the role of the 'Earth Two' hypothetical scenario in the script?

The 'Earth Two' scenario is used as a thought experiment to illustrate the concept of social constructs. It presents a society with an additional social category called 'Schmeight' based on height, helping to explore the idea of how social constructs are created and function within a society.

How does the script use the game of baseball to explain social constructs?

The script uses baseball to illustrate how social constructs like 'being a strike' are conferred onto certain occurrences (like a pitch) to serve a purpose within the game, similar to how social properties are conferred in society to track certain underlying features.

What is a homeostatic property cluster according to the script?

A homeostatic property cluster is a concept where a group of properties tend to occur together, either because one property causes the others or because there is an underlying mechanism causing them to co-occur. This concept is used to explain how categories like 'mammals' are formed and understood.

What does the script suggest about the nature of social constructs in relation to justice and politics?

The script suggests that social constructs are not fixed and can be changed, implying that they are inherently political. It raises the question of whose interests social constructs serve and the possibility of redefining them in a way that aligns with justice and fairness.

Why does the script mention the gay rights movement in the context of social constructs?

The script mentions the gay rights movement to illustrate how the understanding of social constructs like homosexuality can change over time and how different societies might construct these concepts differently, affecting the discourse on rights and freedoms.

What is the philosophical viewpoint presented by Asta in the script, and how does it relate to social constructs?

Asta's viewpoint, as presented in the script, is that social constructs are used to track underlying properties in a particular context or 'game'. This perspective suggests that the social significance of a feature depends on the social status conferred upon it by the community in a given context.

How does the script use the concept of 'full VR' versus 'augmented reality' to discuss social constructs?

The script uses the terms 'full VR' and 'augmented reality' as metaphors to describe different levels to which social constructs overlay or transform our understanding of reality. 'Augmented reality' implies adding to the existing properties, while 'full VR' suggests a complete construction of reality that may not necessarily reflect the underlying properties.