PHIL 237 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Sexual Intercourse, Exhibitionism, Voyeurism
Document Summary
Phil 237 contemporary moral issues: secular definitions of sex. Makes a claim to the (ab)normalcy, or (un)naturalness, of a sexual act. Captures how the concept is (at least usually) used, us not too wide or too narrow though not everyone agrees. Makes a claim to how the concept should be used. Even if this may run counter to prevailing uses or intuitions. To equate perverted with morally bad sex depends on a hidden premise. Perverted sex = unnatural sex = bad sex; and nature = good. Might be non-morally satisfying, morally good, and completely perverted (unnatural, abnormal) Might be non-morally satisfying, completely natural or normal, and morally wrong. Or is it good for non-moral reasons (exciting/satisfying/etc. We"re not concerned with the former (morally good sex) Natural laws: not descriptive (like newton"s laws), but prescriptive. Sexual acts can be wrong if they are: not procreative homosexuality, bestiality, masturbation, sex using contraceptives, procreative but with the wrong person adultery, incest, rape.
