Josh and Ray begin the show by debating Was Mary Astell England's first feminist. Josh brings up that Astell argued that women were men's intellectual equals, and she encouraged women not to marry. Ray remembers that was skeptic and that she pushed back against Descartes in her Letters.

Guest Allauren Forbes, Professor of philosophy at McMaster University, joins the show. She maintains that one of the things that makes Astell’s position interesting as a feminist is that she says claims that sometimes people rule over others illegitimately, so sometimes husbands who are irrational or tyrannical or morally bad. And as a consequence, even if they have rule over women, they don't necessarily owe them submission or obedience in an unquestioning way. Ray asks about the kinds of recourse that Astell thinks would be available women to take, and kinds of recourses would be illegitimate.

Josh and Ray discuss with our guest the notions of freedom and friendship in the work of Mary Astell. Allauren responds that one thing women can do is to never get married, and set up an alternate version of life, where friendship will play a really important part. Josh is interested in the role that friendship plays and Ray highlights how friends can help each other out. Allauren mentions that there are a couple of ways in which friends can do this, one by providing admonishment when making a mistake; and another is the provision of recognition in ways that aren’t always available to ourselves. Ray wonders about the threats and challenges of distinguishing between good and bad friends. For Allauren there's two levels of friendship, one intimate and positive, which requires virtue, and a second one, which is more general and social, and it doesn’t entail virtue.

In the last segment of the show, among other topics, the three turn to the discussion of Astell’s theological commitments and how they shaped her rationalism, feminism and her relationship to the work of Rene Descartes. They also agree and discuss the significance of community for Astell and how different talents can coexist in harmony together. The show concludes with a critical assessment of Astell’s ideas about the education of women and her political opinions.

Roving Philosophical Report (seek to 5:58) → Holly J. McDede interviews Katie Tertell, a cello player in the band Howay the Lasses, based in New Castle, England, where Astell was born. The band plays the song ‘Mary Astell’, inspired by A Serious Proposal to the Ladies, a book that argues for the intellectual equality between men and women.

Sixty-Second Philosopher (seek to 4:49) → Ian Shoales discusses Astell’s feminist legacy as a problematic one, but also complex and daunting. And her ideas regarding the education of women which were mocked by—inter alia—Addison and Swift.