Sexual Ethics
- Created by: 09riversj
- Created on: 20-02-20 11:22
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- Sexual Ethics
- Religion
- Rules/ commandments
- Too legalistic: does not consider needs of the individual
- 'Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath'
- Too legalistic: does not consider needs of the individual
- Contracts
- Community
- Rewards/ punishments
- Rituals
- Myths/ stories
- Stability in society
- Raises sex to more than animal behaviour
- Protection of children and importance of family
- Healthy relationship: St Paul 'Love is patient, love is kind'
- Guidance
- RCC: from Church teachings - in the General Synod
- Quakers: from the conscience - focus on agape
- CofE: from the Bible - 'word of God' is 'infallible'
- Problems with just using the Bible
- Too contextual: influenced by culture of the time + place
- Does not address modern-day concerns - IVF?
- Countryman: explains the Canaanite cult practises in Leviticus
- Genesis: 'be fruitful and multiply'
- Adresses high infant mortality rates and mother deaths in childbirth - nowadays N/A due to medical advancements -> overpop.
- Jenkins: Collection of human experiences - not sufficient - requires teachings and conscience
- Problems with just using the Bible
- Nietzsche: warns in the Parable of the Madman - without religion society tips into state of chaos
- 'God is dead'
- Russell: Eurythro Dilemma
- Either God commands something because it is good or it is good because God commands it
- God becomes arbitrary - could command anything
- Independent standard of goodness to God
- No monopoly on morality - religion outdated - sexuality more expressive now
- Either God commands something because it is good or it is good because God commands it
- Mill: Advocate for negative liberty = least interference of the state to restrict behaviour
- A variety of lifestyles -> diversity in society
- However, does not always follow that freedom on sexual expression leads to a richer, more cohesive society
- No monopoly on morality: should be allowed to make own moral decisions (even wrong ones)
- Mill recognises we are not our own best judges - need 'competent judges' who are experts to decide what is best for society as a whole
- E.g. some sexual desires are deliberately subversive (= troublesome)
- Mill recognises we are not our own best judges - need 'competent judges' who are experts to decide what is best for society as a whole
- A variety of lifestyles -> diversity in society
- Rules/ commandments
- Religious views on sex
- Judaism and Islam encourage it
- Christianity encourages but in moderation
- Seed of Onan: '[he] split his seed on the ground' (Genesis)
- Extramarital sex
- 'You shall not commit adultery' (Exodus)
- Quakers: 'Sex... is a normal biological actiivty'
- Homosexual sex
- 'Do not lie with a man as you would with a woman; that is detestable' (Leviticus)
- +ve intention made by God - sex is for intimacy in marriage - when for individuals is becomes selfish and manipulative
- BUT: Leviticus = OT - Jesus fulfilled OT prophecy - N/A to Xtians
- Desmond Tutu: it is wrong to blame someone for something that is natural - 'doubt they are the children of God'
- 'Do not lie with a man as you would with a woman; that is detestable' (Leviticus)
- Premarital sex
- Quakers: 'Most like other human activities can be indulged in destructively or creatively'
- Can tip into a tyranny - obsessive - LUST
- Quakers: 'Most like other human activities can be indulged in destructively or creatively'
- Natural Moral Law approach
- Contradictory to condemn homosexuality as unnatural
- Confining sex to procreation denies it of its other purposes: reciprocal pleasure, bodily unity, sensuality
- Utilitarianism approach
- Supports marriage as a framework for family - best for children
- Rule - Mill
- The Harm Principle: 'prevent harm to others' - to an extent
- Subjective: hard to predict when and how much harm is caused
- On pre-marital sex: brings about pleasure but of the body = lower -> emotional harm -> teleological consequences
- But does this focus too much on the future? Ignores the present - do not move forward
- The Harm Principle: 'prevent harm to others' - to an extent
- Act - Bentham
- 'It produces no pain to... on the contrary pleasure' - 'when partners are both willing' - otherwise '****'
- Wollstonecraft: Is consent viable if underlying inequalities present in relationship
- 'I do not wish [women] to have power over men, but over themselves'
- Wollstonecraft: Is consent viable if underlying inequalities present in relationship
- Stresses importance of consent
- Greatest happiness principle
- Who sits where on the hierarchy of happiness? Difficult to determine - e.g. impact of divorce
- Naturalistic fallacy - what ought to be pleasurable is not in practise - ****? consent needed
- But consent may demean the spontaneity of sexual pleasure
- On extra-marital sex: use hedonic calculus to determine consequences - e.g. extent? how many affected?
- But practical to use in daily decision making?
- 'It produces no pain to... on the contrary pleasure' - 'when partners are both willing' - otherwise '****'
- CONC: Relative theory appropriate as different people have different sexual experiences
- Subjectivity allows for an emotive response for emotional situations
- Hedonic calculus not practical everyday but can be used in some situations - requires people to consider consequences of their actions
- Subjectivity allows for an emotive response for emotional situations
- Kantian approach
- Follow categorical imperative: Golden Rule 'treat others...'
- To denote something as acceptable it should be universalised but sexuality is too broad - thus can KE be applied?
- Moral decision making use reason
- Is this possible referring to sexuality? - controlled more by emotions and spontaneity
- Sexuality
- = expression of aspect of human life and interactions between bio, psycho, social etc.
- Repressing this can cause harm - Micheal Schofield
- = expression of aspect of human life and interactions between bio, psycho, social etc.
- Religion
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