In 1952 Ashley Montagu (born Israel Ehrenberg) published his book, "The Natural Superiority of Women." Of course it created much controversy. According to Montagu, women are the carriers of the true spirit of humanity, as best captured by the love of a mother for her child. It is the preservation and diffusing of that kind of love that is the true function and message of women. However the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer had different ideas in his work, "The World as Will and Idea." (London, 1883) Schopenhauer was born in Danzig on February 22, 1788 and he was the "Archduke" of pessimism in his philosophy. His views on the place of women in the world was sharply different from those of Montagu. In his "Essay on Women," he writes, "All women are, with rare exceptions, (like Rh+) inclined to extravagance" because they live only in the present, and their chief out-door sport is shopping. "Women think it is men's business to earn money, and theirs to spend it," This is their opinion of the division of labor. The less we have to do with women, then, the better. "Life is safer and smoother without them.. Let men recognize the snare that lies in women's beauty, and the absurd comedy of reproduction will end." Remember, I didn't write that!
Now, far be it from me to comment on Schopenhauer's views because he obviously is/was? a much wiser man than I. His book had more pages than mine. But in all fairness, I will not allow his philosophy to go unanswered. Over the centuries, male scholars have pointed to the larger male brain, skeleton, height, and muscle mass as clear evidence of the male's superiority, as in the view "might makes right." However, Montagu believes that the overall performance of the anatomy and physiology of male and female, women come out on top. Women apparently have a more powerful immunological system, which affords them greater protection against, and better recovery from starvation, fatigue, shock, and illness. Also, says Ashley, although a woman's brain may be smaller than a man's, it has more neurons in the corpus callosum, (whatever that is) which enables better coordination between hemispheres. Consequently, he claims that the female brain is more highly developed structurally and functionally, and it is capable of thinking more soundly and intuitively than the male brain. The end result is that women are more insightful and have greater stamina and longevity—or, in other words, women stand the test of time. Guys don't.
When Montagu claims that women are "naturally" superiour to men, he means not only are they superior physically by "nature", they are by "nature" superior in their desire to protect and preserve life. OK, I'll buy that--and you better!
Since the male brain is less "capable of thinking ... soundly and intuitively" than the female brain, perhaps Montagu's contention (created by a less capable male brain) -- that the female brain is more capable -- is incorrect? If so, then does that not mean that the male brain is MORE capable, and thus his contention is correct?
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