Why is an awareness of the history of ideas crucial not only to an understanding of philosophy but also to the ability to formulate one’s own philosophical ideas?

Consider each philosopher discussed in Sophie’s World. Choose a philosopher to account their life as well as analyze, critique, and add to the philosophical ideas they proposed.

Alberto Knox occasionally acknowledges the near absence of women and their ideas in the history of philosophy. How do you think philosophy, or history itself, would have been different if women were given equal opportunity to become philosophers?