| |
|
February 2005
Our discussion on the ethics of sexuality revolved around several main areas.
To begin, we thought of a person having sex, either with another or on their
own, and evaluated any moral issues that could arise when this occurred under
several different types of circumstances:
• Number of Participants – Is ‘group sex’ moral?
• Does promiscuity have a detrimental affect on society?
• Can sex with strangers be ultimately satisfying, or is some degree of
emotional intimacy needed?
• Should what occurs between consenting adults remain their business and
nothing more?
• Is it fair that promiscuous women are vilified and promiscuous men praised?
Is this hypocrisy? Does it show men are threatened by female sexuality?
• Is sex only meant for procreation? If so, is it immoral to have sex
solely for pleasure, and avoid procreating?
• If this is the case, does this mean homosexuality is morally wrong?
• Can these arguments truly be defended?
• Is sado-masochistic sex immoral? If so, why? Should sex be ‘loving’?
• Is it fair to say someone who wished to experience severe pain is emotionally
or mentally damaged? What about those who wish to inflict pain?
• Can consent given to pain, injury or even death during sex be taken
as ‘true’ consent? Might the person have issues making them behave
in a self-destructive manner?
• Even when definite consent is given, is it moral for one person to hurt
another?
• Is the age of consent too low? Can those at 16 make real, informed choices?
• Are relationships involving large age gaps unhealthy? Is it fair to
say one person can adopt a dominant position and coerce more naïve individuals
to ‘consent’?
• Can the extreme emotions and complex psychological connections created
by sexual relationships be handled by very young adults?
• Shouldn’t a moral decision take into account an individual’s
maturity as well as chronological age?
• Consent must be given, but what is consent?
• Those with emotional damage may wish to perform acts destructive to
themselves, is it moral to engage them in those, even if they have given consent?
• Those who are vulnerable, impressionable or afraid of disapproval may
‘consent’ to acts their partner wants, without truly wanting it
themselves, is this moral?
• Consent may be given to an act, which leads to severe emotional damage
to one of the participants If there is the possibility of this, it is moral
to proceed?
• Is prostitution moral? If the prostitute consents, the consent is to
be used for sex, not to engage in it themselves. Does this change the issue
at all?
• Can prostitutes be regarded as emotionally healthy?
• Does a permissive attitude to destructive urges lead to a perpetuation
or escalation of those urges? (For example, a prostitute being paid to be beaten.
Can this increase the misogynistic tendencies of the client?)
• Does what is natural have any bearing on the morality of sex?
• Are extremes necessarily immoral? Should we adopt a moderate view of
sexuality?
• Is sex in public morally acceptable? Is it morally acceptable to allow
children to witness sexual activity?
Andrea / James
Created 14:02:05