Pacifica Stories

Back in March, the Pacifica Center for Philosophy and Theology hosted legal scholar Dr. Erika Bachiochi to lead a student seminar and Fireside Chat focusing on themes from her book The Rights of Women: Reclaiming a Lost Vision. Dr. Bachiochi was invited as part of Pacifica's Leisure at the Lyceum guest speaker series, which focuses on bringing together what is being torn apart by setting the table for important discussions while maintaining intellectual hospitality. Watch the Fireside Chat recap and read about the student seminar below!

The Lyceum Student Seminar

During the afternoon, in a Socratic-style seminar, Dr. Bachiochi engaged with a group of 15 Honors students from the Center of Philosophy and Theology on her article entitled “Sex-Realist Feminism.” During this discussion, Dr. Bachiochi guided the students through an intellectual history of how women have been perceived. She commenced with Plato’s conception of women, progressing through Aristotle’s views and culminating in the perspectives of Mary Wollstonecraft, John Locke, and contemporary thinkers. Throughout this analysis, Dr. Bachiochi elucidated the recurring theme of sexual asymmetry—the inherent disparity in reproduction between men and women—as the fundamental basis for understanding women’s roles and experiences. According to Dr. Bachiochi, this sexual asymmetry has been the defining characteristic of every wave of feminism, with varying approaches to addressing its implications

Dr. Bachiochi emphasized that contemporary feminism has posited technological advancements, such as the birth control pill and abortion, as the so

lution to the sexual asymmetry. However, she argued that these technological solutions have unintended consequences, causing harm to women while simultaneously absolving men of responsibility in the realm of reproduction.
Throughout the seminar, students engaged in thoughtful discussions with Dr. Bachiochi, posing questions on the nature of male and female characteristics, the biblical interpretation of gender differences, and the appropriate role of men in addressing the complexities of sexual asymmetry.