Career Céline Renooz

1 career

1.1 evolutionary theory
1.2 neosophism
1.3 historiography

career

renooz corresponded translator , scholar clémence royer

after separating muro, renooz began prolific career in writing , feminist activism, publishing polemical journalism , more dozen volumes on social , scientific topics. renooz s writings marked strong interest in evolution , anthropology, openly anticlerical stance, , radical missionary zeal importance of motherhood. works argue women require social status superior men, promoting matriarchy social ideal. philosophy synthesized , adapted ideas numerous contemporary theorists, including patrick geddes, john arthur thomson, , johann jakob bachofen, woman-centered alternative view of science , history.

evolutionary theory

her first book, l origine des animaux (1883), written in response charles darwin s origin of species, had been published in france in 1862 translation clémence royer. renooz described darwin s theory unscientific, arguing instead evolutionary theory based on embryology. renooz concluded humanity s ancestors traced plant kingdom , bean family, concept possibly influenced ernst haeckel s recapitulation theory. in renooz s theory, human head corresponded root ball of plant, , body stem , branches. renooz rejected idea of natural selection in human evolution, saying humans inherently cooperative (as believed plants be), rather competitive other animals. in article, renooz reported plant-based theory not derived research, had come in flash of intuition leaving bibliothèque nationale de france after reading claude adrien helvétius s de l homme. later attributed other theories same intuitive power manifesting on other occasions.

mathias-marie duval dismissed renooz demented

the male-dominated scientific establishment criticized , poked fun @ renooz s evolutionary theory. publishers, @ well-known firm of baillière, publicly dismissed claiming had not read work before publishing it. in face-to-face 1887 encounter, scientist mathias-marie duval informed renooz demented. renooz remained troubled duval , confrontation years afterward, writing in memoirs: colossal struggle against woman, embodied terrifying , satanic figure of antichrist … duval vandal of science. other criticisms provoked bitter responses renooz; time went on, began see enemies everywhere in obsession amounting paranoia. influence on renooz s worldview memories of troubled marriage, called sad apprenticeship led discover roots of evil.

in 1887, edmond hébert, dean of university of france faculty of sciences, invited give lecture @ sorbonne explaining theory, lecture, treatise, received poorly.

neosophism

in 1888, renooz founded journal, la revue scientifique des femmes, dedicated reshaping scientific method combining feminist understanding. renooz hoped combination bring intuition-based true science free patriarchal bias. according renooz s editorial in first issue:

it on woman task incumbent. she, aid of faculty, intuition, men, unjust, recognise her, should give world light regenerate intellectual life has gone away, morality has disappeared, faith in supreme truth, enthusiasm great , holy causes.

the revue included reports of achievements women physicians , scientists, long preview excerpts of new three-volume treatise writing, la nouvelle science. renooz used journal expose situations in women mistreated scientific establishment, such jean-martin charcot s antagonism , snobbery toward women entering medical fields. though revue gathered small group of enthusiastic contributors, including physician caroline schultze, not financial success , folded after year.

the 3 volumes of la nouvelle science published in book form in 1890. first volume, la force, outlined new framework understanding physics, special attention paid stellar evolution , formation of carbon. volume described oxygen universe s main physical , spiritual power, engaged in conflict evil enemy nitrogen. other physical forces described goddesses. second , third volumes le principe générateur de la vie , l evolution de l homme et des animaux. 3 continued , amplified renooz s mission replace conventional body of scientific knowledge new intuitive theories, epistemological philosophy referred neosophism.

in 1892, renooz learned société de physiologie hold second annual conference in hometown of liège. contacted director of conference , arranged give lecture on evolutionary theories, becoming woman present among 2 hundred scholars gathered @ conference. unlike sorbonne lecture, liège presentation marked success, , reported applauded lecture @ conference. on strength of presentation, invited contribute newspaper l indépendance belge. returned belgium in 1893 give 2 lectures in brussels, 1 on evolution , 1 on comparative physiology of men , women; on next twenty years, lectured prolifically in paris on topics related neosophism.

renooz became subject of fresh ridicule when, after s. a. andrée s arctic balloon expedition of 1897, renooz published letter expedition in le matin. attributed expedition s failure polar winds, which—according oxygen theories had laid out in la nouvelle science—made polar discovery impossible. published responses renooz s letter ranged simple satire contradiction based on evidence (including refutation geographer Élisée reclus), dismissive. other physics ideas renooz espoused included theory perturbations on mars caused incandescence. renooz argued modesty artificial construct derived men s embarrassment bodies; believed women naturally inclined toward nudity , innately proud of bodies outward sign of moral superiority.

during dreyfus affair, renooz dreyfusard (supporter of alfred dreyfus s innocence), saying both dreyfus , herself had been shunned , unjustly treated society. between 1890 , 1913, worked sporadically on autobiography, prédestinée: l autobiographie de la femme cachée; never finished or published. in 1897, renooz founded society, société néosophique, raise funds publish books.

historiography

shortly after founding société néosophique, renooz designed two-semester course in women s history, taught house in rue du bac twelve francs semester. course used feminist historiographical approach emphasize women s historical importance, covering such topics hypothetical golden age of matriarchy; women s contributions in founding communities , religions; witchcraft , witch hunts; querelle des femmes in renaissance; , place of women in contemporary society.

renooz s interest in historiography developed magnum opus, six-volume treatise l Ère de vérite, 5 volumes of appeared between 1921 , 1927 (the sixth released posthumously in 1933). book used anthropological , linguistic hypotheses argue women s contributions communities had been more substantial assumed, , these contributions had been suppressed later patriarchal societies. example, speculated king solomon s temple had been designed woman, mirah, represented in freemasonry tradition male figure hiram abiff ( hiram being mirah backwards). similarly, argued true founder of christianity woman named johana, portrayed in canonical scriptural texts john baptist, , jesus myth invented men anxious assert dominance , prevent goddess worship. in order justify power, renooz summarized, (man) claimed had existed.