Abstract

Mary Astell (1666-1731) is often described as a Cartesian—and for good reason. Many of her philosophical positions align with Descartes’. Nonetheless, it is possible to overstress the similarities between Astell’s philosophy and Descartes’. This entry focuses on the ways their views diverge in order to get a fuller understanding of Astell’s epistemology. Her approach to meditation, the emphasis she places on social dimensions of inquiry, her commitment to cultivating intellectual virtues, and her insights concerning what we would now call “epistemic injustice” are among the elements that distinguish her philosophy from Descartes’ and mark her as a significant early modern epistemologist.