Standpoint theory comes out of the philosophy of Hegel as
taken up by Marx and stated as a clear theory by George Lukacs. Modern
continental philosophers, Zizek and Badiou of note, have accented and critiqued
it heavily. In its original context the underprivileged group was the working
class, the proletariat, and the privileged group was the upper class, the
bourgeoisie. It was then taken up by feminist, originally female labor, and is
a core component of many “subversive” theologies/philosophies (aka Feminism,
Black, Queer, etc). An important aside is the fact that the origins of
Standpoint theory are themselves androcentric such that within feminism there
is continued debate to its validity, definition, and applicability.
Standpoint theory recognizes the general validity of
scientific methods of research and discerning truth that developed during the
enlightenment. The major critique is that these methods in and of themselves do
not create an objective viewpoint. Since the individuals posting the questions and researching the
answers are primarily of a white European male cultural context the system
inherently gives privilege to that cultural context. Standpoint theory holds
that for a greater amount of objectivity questions and research have to arise
from a variety of cultural contexts.
Standpoint theory is not ethnocentrism. Feminists who hold
to standpoint theory would not hold that the feminist perspective is a superior
ground of knowledge than other perspectives, not even androcentric ones, but
that the feminist perspective is essential to the others for discerning
objective truth. It is not that any specific group holds a special repository
of knowledge but that each group has the capacity to question knowledge and
provides a necessary critique in the pursuit of truth.
Standpoint theory is not, however, relativistic or
pluralistic. Standpoint theory does not hold that all perspectives are equal in
discovering truth nor does it hold that all perspectives restrict themselves in
equal ways in their search for the truth. It does recognize that a specific
question will best be posed within the context of a certain perspective, at
first, so that the general discussion of the question will be fuller and more
applicable to reality. It further recognizes that objectivity is gained by
adding perspectives to the situation not by postulating an objective knower.
In approaching an issue from standpoint theory one would
first ask which cultural context is most able to ask the pertinent questions to
gaining understanding on the issue. Once an initial amount of questions and
research had begun then conversation partners within other cultural context
would be included to gain further objectivity. In the midst of this
conversation not all perspectives would be considered equal and certain
cultural context would be considered to have more authority. Perspectives, even
ones generally considered to not have authority on the subject, could be
conjectured as having that authority to gain further understanding of the
issue.
Standpoint theory requires a good amount of nimbleness of
thought and openness to other perspectives in order to function. It is very
easy to fall out of standpoint theory and into relativism or ethnocentrism. It
is a theory that seeks objective truth but denies any specific standpoint the
capacity to own objectivity.
this overview relies heavily on the following article:
Harding, Sandra. Rethinking Standpoint
Epistemology: What is “Strong Objectivity”.
in Alcoff, Linda, and Elizabeth Potter. Feminist Epistemologies. New York: Routledge, 1993. pages 49-82.
