Hume and Wollstonecraft

I believe that while David Hume and Mary Wollstonecraft lived in much different time periods they still would have had much to argue about with their beliefs they would have also had much to agree about particularly in the area of why women had the certain place in society.

Hume: How would you believe people have gained their beliefs?

Wollstonecraft: I believe that they have gained it through the ignorance that has been greatly promoted throughout our society for many years.  This ignorance has been founded upon prejudices that cannot support these beliefs, yet through it many men have successfully gained power.  These men would have been much better suited had they been better educated in the ways of ruling and the world they rule before they took over. What is your opinion on the matter?

Hume: I believe that it is through the simple act of repetition that many have gained the beliefs that they have.  We justify our beliefs by saying that it is human nature to believe these things, and we further reason that such things as a flame being hot is determined by custom to expect the heat when seeing a flame.    We need to not only infer such things but infer them based off of reason, since reason not capable of any variation. 

Wollstonecraft: I agree that we should learn to base our beliefs off of reason, and through reasoning we would find that women are only inferior to men because the customs of our time dictate it. By changing our customs we will find a middle ground and eventually make women equal to men.

Mary Wollstonecraft and David Hume would both come to the agreement that men and women can become equal in society only by changing the customs that everyone has lived with for so long.  It might be difficult but both would agree that this is the only way to change things for the better.