the chapter on the history of Western philosophy’s view on women was particularly disturbing - in summary, women aren’t people.
e.g. Aristotle thought women were naturally mutilated, deformed versions of men. Hegel compared women to plants.
The idea of women being worthy of literacy and education, let alone being a professional like a lawyer, are all shockingly recent changes.
That all people, including women and people from lower class, should get education if they possess skill in intellectual pursuits. He was more meritocratic in how he envisioned his hierarchical society, which is part of why he had such an impact on liberal philosophy.
At the same time he proposed the radically meritocratic system under which you don’t get to have a say at all in how things work if the system doesn’t deem you smart enough. He did some real good, but his (and Aristotle’s) authority was too overblown for yoo logn