Sexual Ethics
Modern Day Sexual Ethics:
• Sexual ethics regards the correct and moral value that we have towards
sexual acts e.g extra-martial affairs, homosexuality etc.
• Much of what we consider to be moral is protected/not prohibited by the
Law. Homosexuality is considered moral because its not illegal - but this
was not always the case. The law surrounding an act changes because
public perception of the act changes.
• In terms of meta-ethics, the law is not objective, the law is a construct of
human design to fit the culture that humans want to develop.
• This makes us question what we deplore today that future generations
may find tolerable.
• The age of consent in the UK is 16.
Sexual Ethics were very different in the past:
• In ancient Athens and Rome, the concept of pedophilia did not exist.
Sex with pre-pubescent children was considered as abnormal and rare as it
is now though.
• It was not uncommon for sex to occur with children from 16-18 though.
Sex between a bearded man and and non-bearded, pubescent boy was
acceptable in certain contexts at certain times.
• Just as young brides were favoured, it was adolescents males that were
found attractive by other men. A boy’s sexual allure began to diminish
the moment he started to grow facial and body hair - this short wind
perhaps explains the ecstatic reception that poster-boy youths like
Charmides. According to Plato, everyone at wrestling school gazes at
Charmides “as if he were a statue” and Socrates himself “catches fire”
when he sees inside the youth’s cloak.
• Pedophilia is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent
experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attract to prepubescent
children. Criteria for pedophilia extends prepubescence to age 13. A
person diagnosed with it must be at least 16 at at least 5 years older than
the prepubescent child.
Sexual Ethics in OCR:
• Sex is increasingly having an effect on the world. It is the holy grail of
advertising, used in films and seen increasingly on the internet.
• The rise of the sexual revolution starts in mid 20th century with Hippies
and Kinsey Report. Society had a fascination with sex. The pill’s invention
helped to explore this without dire consequences
• The adage sex sells is prominent and leading marketing experts still abide
by this saying “Sex is the second strongest of the psychological appeals,
, right behind self-preservation. Its strong its biological and instinctive, the
genetic imperative to reproduction.” - Malinger
Marriage:
• Has been a spiritual and romantic connection between 2 people, but has
since changed.
• Until the 16th century it was a private contract between 2 families, even
the strict Catholic Church accepted the validity of one without witnesses.
• From then on it becomes a joint legal document. It needs an official to
make it so but also at least 2 witnesses to affirm it happened.
Marriage NOW:
• The ideals are purely legal, or legal and spiritual.
• A civil partnership has the aspects of marriage that is purely legal.
• Marriages are still required to fulfil the legal requirements. So consenting
to marriage is consenting to sex.
• Michael Walzer believes it is a contractual agreement that is mutually
beneficial on each side because it secures a fairer exchange of affections
and commitments.
• He sees family life as perpetuating social inequalities - because wealth,
access to education and power are all passed along family lines.
David McCarthy:
• Wrote Genuine Christianity for the Middle Class
• He believes marriage is not a private affair at all - marriages are 2
consenting adults bound together with the life and community of the
church.
• They are the embodied social ethic that is sought by the Christian loving
God. Marriage takes place in the House of God, with the authority of God,
with the promise to God.
• This makes it deeply spiritual.
• For him, marriage is characterised by friendship which extends beyond this
into personal intimacy and romance.
• The Christian community seeks to find the joy in the challenges of married
life, which can be seen in the wedding vows.
• A Christian’s view on marriage is that the “love of God sustains human
love” John 3:7-17
• Pre and Extra Marital Sex
What is Pre-Marital Sex?
• The act of having sex prior to marriage.
• This could be couples intended to get married or those with none
whatsoever.
Modern Day Sexual Ethics:
• Sexual ethics regards the correct and moral value that we have towards
sexual acts e.g extra-martial affairs, homosexuality etc.
• Much of what we consider to be moral is protected/not prohibited by the
Law. Homosexuality is considered moral because its not illegal - but this
was not always the case. The law surrounding an act changes because
public perception of the act changes.
• In terms of meta-ethics, the law is not objective, the law is a construct of
human design to fit the culture that humans want to develop.
• This makes us question what we deplore today that future generations
may find tolerable.
• The age of consent in the UK is 16.
Sexual Ethics were very different in the past:
• In ancient Athens and Rome, the concept of pedophilia did not exist.
Sex with pre-pubescent children was considered as abnormal and rare as it
is now though.
• It was not uncommon for sex to occur with children from 16-18 though.
Sex between a bearded man and and non-bearded, pubescent boy was
acceptable in certain contexts at certain times.
• Just as young brides were favoured, it was adolescents males that were
found attractive by other men. A boy’s sexual allure began to diminish
the moment he started to grow facial and body hair - this short wind
perhaps explains the ecstatic reception that poster-boy youths like
Charmides. According to Plato, everyone at wrestling school gazes at
Charmides “as if he were a statue” and Socrates himself “catches fire”
when he sees inside the youth’s cloak.
• Pedophilia is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent
experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attract to prepubescent
children. Criteria for pedophilia extends prepubescence to age 13. A
person diagnosed with it must be at least 16 at at least 5 years older than
the prepubescent child.
Sexual Ethics in OCR:
• Sex is increasingly having an effect on the world. It is the holy grail of
advertising, used in films and seen increasingly on the internet.
• The rise of the sexual revolution starts in mid 20th century with Hippies
and Kinsey Report. Society had a fascination with sex. The pill’s invention
helped to explore this without dire consequences
• The adage sex sells is prominent and leading marketing experts still abide
by this saying “Sex is the second strongest of the psychological appeals,
, right behind self-preservation. Its strong its biological and instinctive, the
genetic imperative to reproduction.” - Malinger
Marriage:
• Has been a spiritual and romantic connection between 2 people, but has
since changed.
• Until the 16th century it was a private contract between 2 families, even
the strict Catholic Church accepted the validity of one without witnesses.
• From then on it becomes a joint legal document. It needs an official to
make it so but also at least 2 witnesses to affirm it happened.
Marriage NOW:
• The ideals are purely legal, or legal and spiritual.
• A civil partnership has the aspects of marriage that is purely legal.
• Marriages are still required to fulfil the legal requirements. So consenting
to marriage is consenting to sex.
• Michael Walzer believes it is a contractual agreement that is mutually
beneficial on each side because it secures a fairer exchange of affections
and commitments.
• He sees family life as perpetuating social inequalities - because wealth,
access to education and power are all passed along family lines.
David McCarthy:
• Wrote Genuine Christianity for the Middle Class
• He believes marriage is not a private affair at all - marriages are 2
consenting adults bound together with the life and community of the
church.
• They are the embodied social ethic that is sought by the Christian loving
God. Marriage takes place in the House of God, with the authority of God,
with the promise to God.
• This makes it deeply spiritual.
• For him, marriage is characterised by friendship which extends beyond this
into personal intimacy and romance.
• The Christian community seeks to find the joy in the challenges of married
life, which can be seen in the wedding vows.
• A Christian’s view on marriage is that the “love of God sustains human
love” John 3:7-17
• Pre and Extra Marital Sex
What is Pre-Marital Sex?
• The act of having sex prior to marriage.
• This could be couples intended to get married or those with none
whatsoever.
