Description
Book SynopsisMOTHERHOOD
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 p
Trade Review
"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)
Table of ContentsForeword x
Judith Warner
Acknowledgments xv
Sheila Lintott
Navel-Gazing at Its Finest: An Introduction to Motherhood – Philosophy for Everyone 1
Sheila Lintott
Part I MOMMY BRAIN: Truth, Knowledge, and Belief in Mothering 15
1 How Many Experts Does It Take to Raise a Child? Mothering and the Quest for Certainty 17
Sue Ellen Henry
2 Creative Mothering: Lies and the Lying Mothers Who Tell Them 29
Amy Kind
3 Pro-Choice Philosopher Has Baby: Reflections on Fetal Life 41
Bertha Alvarez Manninen
4 Kim, Ellen, and Zack’s Big Adventure: Lesbian Mothers Raising a Boy Steeped in His Masculinity 52
Kim Anno
Part II LABOR PAINS: The Work and Wonder of Being a Mom 63
5 Days and Nights of a New Mother: Existentialism in the Nursery 65
Elizabeth Butterfield
6 Mindful Mothering: How Feminist Buddhist Practices Enhance Experiences of Beauty 77
Sheryl Tuttle Ross
7 A Face Only a Mother Could Love? On Maternal Assessments of Infant Beauty 89
Glenn Parsons
8 Kevin, Coming Into Focus: On Getting to Know My Son 100
Laura Newhart
Part III MOM’S MORALITY: Ethical Issues in Mothering 115
9 Making Choices: The Ethics of Infant Feeding 117
Chris Mulford
10 Lactational Burkas and Milkmen: On Public Breastfeeding and Male Lactation 129
Maureen Sander-Staudt
11 On “Crying-It-Out” and Co-Sleeping 141
Kevin C. Elliott and Janet L. Elliott
12 Natural Childbirth is for the Birds 154
Jen Baker
Part IV Is Motherhood Everything You Thought It Would Be? Fantasy Meets Reality 167
13 The Off Button: Thought Experiments and Child Control 169
Sara Goering
14 The Virtues of Motherhood 180
Nin Kirkham
15 The Media Proudly Present: “Lessons” From Celebrity Moms 191
Clemence Due and Damien W. Riggs
16 God, Mom! The Blessings of Breasts and Womb 202
George A. Dunn
A Brief Afterword: Some Words from Contributors’ Kids on Motherhood and Philosophy 213
Read All About It: A Feminist Bibliography on Pregnancy and Mothering 215
Compiled by Amy Mullin
Notes on Contributors 222
