Philosophy 1305F/G Lecture Notes - Deontological Ethics, Presupposition, Extramarital Sex
6 Dec 2012
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Document Summary
The traditional assumption of the immorality of adultery (extrametrical sex) is contentious. Arguments are required: we do not want to hold extramarital sex to be wrong by definition. Adultery may be defined as immoral: but then we have to find out what about extramarital sex is immoral. To claim that extramarital sex is simpliciter is necessarily wrong would be. Two arguments offered: adultery involves the breaking of an important promise, adultery involves deception. Both spouses promise to abstain from sexual relations with a third person. What makes adultery wrong, so the argument goes, is that it involves the breaking of an important promise. What makes the breaking of this promise more serious than others is that it involves the intentional infliction of pain. The working assumption with the usual argument against adultery is that the kind of intimacy and affection associated with sec can only exist towards one person at a given time in one"s life.
