sexual ethics Flashcards
natural law
lifegiving purpose (teleological) of most importance as god created the universe in a particular way and to go against that is sin
Robert George argues that treating your body as a mere instrument for pleasure leads to the disintegration of a person
God designed human life to be lived a certain way, and if you upset that balance you cause social problems. 21st century youth culture is sexualised to a degree many Christians find concerning
Bishop Barron develops this point, arguing that secular culture’s attitude towards sex is that there is an ‘almost complete lack’ of reference to the moral and ethical setting for sex, the purpose and meaning of sex or religious context for sexuality
Ratzinger argued that “Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil
homosexuality is against the natural law as it divorces sex from the gift of life and is thus against God’s design.
Humanae Vitae - homosexuality goes against god’s design and so is ‘repugnant’ (sexual organs have generative telos as well as unitive)
Farley argues that Finnis’ categorization of homosexual acts as ‘intrinsically evil contributes to the marginalisation of LGBTQ+ - advocates instead for an approach that affirms the dignity of all
- such categorization is based on assumptions about sexual orientation and morality
fail to account for the complexities of human experience and relationships, leading to rigid and inadequate moral frameworks
Thatcher - Advocates for full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons in Christian life and sacraments
“To deny gay and lesbian orientations, to pretend they do not exist or can be prayed away, is to deny God’s creativity.”
Stephen Fry, a gay writer and broadcaster, argues that the paedophile priest scandal can be explained by the Church’s repressive attitude towards sex
hitchens - the Church have no moral standing to criticise the sexual behaviour of others because of its complicity in the paedophile priest scandal
Natural Law is becoming increasingly less useful in today’s secularised world due to the fact that it is based on Christianity
overly rigid and fails to accommodate situations where sexual activity outside of marriage might not necessarily harm individuals or society
fletcher
there is no natural law, or our minds are unable to know it, as shown by cross-cultural moral disagreement. There are clear cases of different moral views on sexual ethics between different societies
there are cross-cultural similarities, such as the idea of marriage and the importance of confining sex to marriage.
those could be explained by the universality of practical requirements for the raising of children
situation ethics
The Bible is clearly against homosexuality and pre/extra-marital sex, so Fletcher’s theory is not being true to Christian ethics = leviticus
Defence of Fletcher: Fletcher doesn’t think the Bible is the perfect word of God that we can follow literally. The most we can get from it is general themes and Fletcher thinks that Agape is an important theme in the Bible
Fletcher - church should not expect people to abide by an ideal standards that is not their own (jesus said nothing about premarital intercourse, and whether it is good or evil depends on whether love is fully served)
but biblical law - leviticus 18:22
argued for the decriminalisation of homosexuality - sexual offences should be assault, underage, public indecency
sacrificial adultery allows her to be released from a prisoner-of-war camp
However, such an approach risks moral relativism, potentially justifying a multitude of different actions that may still have negative consequences; the case of Mrs Bergmeier is particularly unlikely and exceptional, not reflective of common real-life situations. Ultimately, Situation Ethics’ ideal of agape love can become self-deceptive, by making exceptions to rules as justified by the particularities of one’s circumstances.
kant
The second formulation of the categorical imperative is important regarding sex for Kant. He thinks that sex which is not within a marriage for the purpose of procreation pretty much involves each person using the other as a mere means to their own gratification - driven by desire and not by reason or goodwill
the importance of mutual respect and autonomy within sexual relationships - prostitutes or mistresses are used as a means to an end - body and self are inseperable for Kant
helpful as it challenges individuals to consider whether their actions uphold the dignity and agency of both themselves and their partners
Promise keeping is one of example of demands of categorical imperative (universalising extramarital sex would invalidate all promises made at the wedding)
John Rawls - Kantian ethics ought to be seen ‘not as a morality of austere command but an ethic of mutual respect and self-esteem’
clearer standard for evaluating the morality of sexual behaviour than situation ethics - his ethics is rooted in absolute principles (the Categorical Imperative and the importance of duty) that surpass individual desires or situational contexts.
emphasis on reason overlooks how natural sexual activity is to humans, disregarding it as simply illogical passion (ignoring its ability to add to human satisfaction and its necessity in many people’s lives). Kant’s Categorical Imperative can be overly rigid, making it impractical to apply in situations where moral conflicts exist - ultimately, his theory is overly strict and detached from the nuances of real-life situations regarding sexual ethics.
utilitarianism
Mill in particular emphasising the importance of freedom in individuals’ responsible choices
Utilitarianism also recognises and denounces the potential harm caused by individual sexual behaviour that may lead to damage, such as through exploitation - harm principle
people should be free to do what they wish as long as they don’t harm others (eg. consensual sexual activity that is private)
Delvin’s appeal to the disgust of the masses (Delvin believed that the ‘mere presence is an offence)
- John Harris - sexual activity is less a moral issue than one of etiquette and manners + offence is not harm
(lack of reproduction?? human race dies out - but this isn’t happening and thus nuns could also be condemned)
only the harm principle can adequately draw the line between an individual’s private life and public norms/legislation in a way which prevents persecution and enables individual flourishing.
Unlike Kantian Ethics, Utilitarianism acknowledges that sexual desires are natural and can contribute to human happiness
+ rule utilitarianism
