Helene Druskowitz (1856–1918) was the first German-speaking women to acquire a PhD in philosophy. She explored free will, religion, metaphysics, and feminism. In the four small books presented in this volume, she discusses previous attempts to replace religion (esp. Comte, Mill, Feuerbach, Lange, Nietzsche, Duboc, Düring, and Salter), advocates replacing religion with knowledge-based worldviews, proposes a dualism between matter and transcendent reality, and argues for moral responsibility without free will.

The paperback edition includes the English translations and a comprehensive introduction. The hardcover edition, which includes the English translations, a comprehensive introduction, and the German text, is available here:

As a radical feminist, Druskowitz advocated for gender segregation and women-led societal reform, even proposing human extinction as a moral imperative. Her ideas on male dominance and environmental degradation anticipated later eco-feminist thought. Though not widely recognized in her time, Druskowitz’s work offers valuable insights into feminist philosophy, eco-feminism, and discussions on free will and criticisms of religion, providing historical context for these ideas’ evolution in the 20^th and 21^st centuries.

• Author was first German-speaking women to obtain a PhD in philosophy

• Early radical feminist writings

• Relevant for religions vs. science discussion

The editors of this volume, Luka Boršić and Ivana Skuhala Karasman from the Institute of Philosophy in Zagreb, have been long-standing collaborators of the Center for the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists. Their scholarly engagement with the history of women philosophers, particularly in Southeastern Europe, has resulted in multiple joint projects and publications. Notably, they served as guest editors for Volume 2 of the Journal of the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists, a double issue dedicated in part to the contributions of women philosophers from the region. Founded by Ruth E. Hagengruber and Mary Ellen Waithe, the Journal of the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists (JHWP) is the world’s first journal dedicated to restoring and discussing the history of the texts written by and about women philosophers.

Both editors will soon be visiting the Center in Paderborn as part of a research fellowship. On this occasion, we are pleased to announce two consecutive events that will provide insight into their current fields of research: On June 17, 2025, Luka Boršić will give a lecture titled “Radical Feminism in 16th Century Dubrovnik: The Strange Case of Maruša Gundulić and Cvijeta Zuzorić” as part of the Center’s regular research colloquium. In this talk, he will shed light on two largely forgotten early modern thinkers from Dubrovnik, whose writings and intellectual agency can be viewed as proto-radical feminist positions long before the emergence of institutionalized feminist thought.

On the following day, June 18, 2025, Ivana Skuhala Karasman will co-organize the workshop “Women in the History of Medicine and Philosophy” together with Jil Muller. The event will take place from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at the Center and will be offered in hybrid format. The workshop explores the contributions of women to the history of medicine and philosophy, focusing on figures such as Elza Kučera and Dorothea Christiane Erxleben.

We warmly invite all interested to attend these events!