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Kant and the categorical imperative
Same sex marriage ethics
Kant and the categorical imperative
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From the assigned readings and film, I felt that I have gained a better understanding on one of the most controversial types of relationships, homosexuality. The topic of homosexuality isn’t easy to openly talk about but it is important as philosophy students, to have an open-mind about topics that we don’t partake in. Doing so allows us to promote new ways of thinking about the world around us and see them in a whole new light. In this personal response paper, I will discuss homosexuality in connection with the film Latter Days to determine why a homosexual relationship can meet Kant’s criteria for acceptable love as mentioned in Ruse’s essay, “Is Homosexuality Bad Sexuality?”, as well as why it qualifies as a complete and healthy relationship as described by Nagel in “Sexual Perversion.”
Michael Ruse’s essay revolves around the central question if homosexuality is an acceptable form of relationship. In order to help answer this question, Ruse examines this argument from multiple philosophical perspectives, mainly the categorical imperative and utilitarianism. The first ethical framework is Kant’s categorical imperative. According to this theory, a person should not use another for their own benefit or the benefit of others because “people must be treated as subjective worthy beings in their own right” (Ruse, 1995, pg.113). This means that in a relationship, one must not treat the other as a means to the fulfillment of their sexual desires (e.g. as a sexual object). Instead, there must be respect for the dignity of the other. “By giving oneself reciprocally – by yielding oneself, body and soul – one shows respect for the other as an end and not just as a means” (Ruse, 1995, pg. 113). In doing so, according to Kant, there woul...
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...ity was something that I never really took the time to think about but after reading the essays and watching the film, I have newfound respect for homosexuality. I know it’s only a matter of opinion, but I do genuinely feel that homosexuality is indeed an acceptable way for people to act and that there is nothing wrong with it.
Works Cited
Nagel, T. (1995). Sexual perversion. In R. Stewart (4th Ed.), Philosophical Perspectives on Sex and Love (pp. 105-112). New York, New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.
Ruse, M. (1995). Is homosexuality bad sexuality?. In R.Stewart (4th Ed.), Philosophical Perspectives on Sex and Love (pp. 113-123). New York, New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.
Schaefer, J. & Tibbles, K. (Producers), & Cox, C.J. (Director). (2003). Latter days [Motion picture]. United States: Funny Boy Films & Davis Entertainment Filmworks.
Overall the film was a very informative film for a more homophobic audience. The content was relatable and connected well with the information and discussions that have been within our society for a long time. It was a well-done film that really questions the homophobic opinions and while this is still a very real debate in today’s society the film does a great job at arguing the homophobic opinions.
In the LGBT community, they develop intimate relationships in the same stages as heterosexual couples however they resolve conflicts more positively. Due to them being in a relationship with the same-sex partner, they approach roles in a relationship and marriage using egalitarianism. We all give and receive love differently. Knox & Schacht discuss the different types of loves styles a person’s desires from their relationships such as ludic, pragma, eros, mania, storge, and agape. These different love styles also express how lovers can understand and relate to one
2.Chenier,Elise. “The Benality of Evil.” History 115: Introduction to the History of Sexuality. Class lecture at Simon Fraser Univerity, Burnaby,BC,September 11,2013
”The History of Sexuality” is a three-volumes book, published around 1976 and 1984 by the french historical philosopher Michel Foucault. The three volumes are “An Introduction” (which later is known also as “The Will of Knowledge”), “The Use of the Self” and “The Care of the Self”.
Immanuel Kant defines his second formulation of the Categorical Imperative as knowing the value of a person. It is demeaning to use a person without his or her consent for self-gratification, especially sexually. Kant describes this as using a person simply to serve a means rather than an end, simply put rather than being a concrete loving act with the end of creating new life sex treated as only “scratching an itch”. The idea that Kant, “must take on the other’s ends for their own sake, not because that is an effective way to advance my goals in using the other,” is a way of saying that a man must care enough about the other person treat them as fairly and justly as he wants to be treated (Soble 228). To Soble the “Kantian sex problem” is at the root rather or not all of Kant’s requirements can be met at all in sexual activity¬¬. As Kant lays out all that goes into the second formulation of the Categorical Imperative he describes taking on one another’s ends, but also what it means to make a person simply an end to one’s own needs.
Although history shows us that homosexuality has been present in the development of the species, the place of homosexuals in society and the perception of homosexuality changed greatly between societies and eras. Sodom and Gomorrah, ancient Greece and Rome and ...
Homosexuality is a sensitive topic and often avoided in conversation. For centuries the human race has oppressed and persecuted others strictly because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual etc. Although it is disturbing to most of us, these actions still occur in our society today, as many believe that homosexuality is abnormal and disgraceful. One supporter of this belief is Michael Levin, who strongly believes that homosexuality is highly abnormal and thus, undesirable. Although his beliefs and theories supporting this claim are subjective, there is evidence that can support his stance on this topic; we will analyze this claim in further detail and how it relates to his other views mentioned in this essay.
Halperin, David. "Is There a History of Sexuality?." The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader. Ed. Henry
If I meet the wrong person or being forced to do something, I should reject and leave immediately. This movie brings a lot of thinking about sexuality, sexual orientation and gender issues, and it does influence audiences in many different
Somerville, Siobhan. "Scientific Racism and the Invention of the Homosexual Body." Gender, Sex, and Sexuality. New York: Oxford University, 2009. 284-99. Print.
Stein, Edward. The Mismeasure of Desire: The Science, Theory, and Ethics of Sexual Orientation. New York, NY: Oxford UP, 1999. Print. 20 Oct. 2011
The issues of sexual ethics in relation to morality and perversion have been addressed in depth by each of the gentleman at this table. Sexual activity as described by Solomon and Nagle is comprised of a moral standard and ‘naturalness’ aspect. So, in claiming an act is perverted we must first examine it through a moral framework and understand how this interacts with the ‘naturalness’ of a particular act. Solomon makes the distinction as follows “Perversion is an insidious concept…To describe an activity as perverse is not yet a full blown moral condemnation, for it need not entail that one ought not to indulge in such activities.” Along with the examination of the nature of an act, there must be clear justification as to why sexual acts deserve special separate ethical principles. The question arises: does an act simply due to its sexual nature deserve a separate form of moral inquisition than other acts that occur in nature? In this essay I shall argue that perversion and immorality are not mutually exclusive. By this I mean that a sexual act that is, by my definition, immoral must also be perverted. It is also my contention that if an act is perverted we must also define it as immoral. This second part of the argument is contrary to what many of you have claimed. At the outset of this paper I would also like to state my support of Thomas Nagel’s argument holding that the connection between sex and reproduction has no bearing on sexual perversion. (Nagel 105)
This field of Sexology, developed from German and French influences, developed a taxonomy and categorization of sexual ‘deviance,’ in which homosexuality was at first seen as pathological and unnatural. This notion of a ‘degenerate’ sexuality and deviances, political, legal and social groups began to understand homosexuality in medicalized terms. Krafft-Ebbing, Ulrichs, Freud. Paedophilia and greeks.
The sexual orientation of a person has been a critical debate over the past several centuries. For several...
... decades ago. This book is one that will allow the reader to view many aspects of sexuality from a social standpoint, and apply it to certain social attitudes in our society today, these attitudes can range from the acceptance of lesbian and gays, and the common sight of sex before marriage and women equality. The new era of sexuality has taken a definite "transformation" as Giddens puts it, and as a society we are living in the world of change in which we must adapt, by accepting our society as a changing society, and not be naive and think all the rules of sexuality from our parents time our still in existence now.