In Plato's ideal state, the wisest amongst the populace would be selected to rule.

These rulers who could see beyond the shadows to glimpse the light of truth would be trusted to make choices to the benefit of all.

The gender of these leaders, said Plato, was not to matter, despite him labelling them

the philosopher kings.

That ideal was never realized, but the conversation started by Plato and his contemporaries

inspired what many think of as the birth of Western philosophy.

Central tenets being the nature of reality, truth and knowledge, how to live the good life,

and most importantly, the practice of prudence and the pursuit of justice.

To the ancient Greeks, prudence and justice were personified as females.

The term philosophy itself contains the Greek word Sophia, meaning wisdom, which was also personified in the female

fall. It is thus a great irony that much of the history of philosophy has focused on the

achievements of men, at its lowest points using its own intellectualizing to oppress women.

Prudence and justice seemed only to exist for men. However, there have always been women

concerning themselves with the big questions,

seeing beyond the darkness and shadows that kept their society stuck in the male-centric thinking.

Now, more than ever, there are people dedicated to pointing the spotlight on women's ideas,

women's lives and women's achievements.

Rebecca Buxton and Lisa Whiting call them the Philosopher Queens.

Hello and welcome to episode 92 of the Pan Sidecast.

I'm the lead singer of everybody's favourite peacetime quartet, Mr. Jack Symes.

I'm joined once again by the man tearing up the floorboards in the hope of discovering our faulty concepts,

only to find his wife's stash of anti-Cantian literature.

...