BILD 18 Lecture Notes - Lecture 30: Nammu, Public Sex, Ninsun
Lecturer: Stephen Baird
Lecture 30: History of the Value of a Fetus: Middle Eastern and Western Thoughts
Chimps (also lions)
Common
Bonobos
Determine with whom they
have sex
Lesser males have no
children
Females have little control
Dominant males kill other
male’s babies
Public sex
No pair-bonding
Nakedness has no meaning
Females determine their
partners and have many of
them
Males don’t kill babies
Human Sex:
■ Have private, pair-bonded sex (behaviorual and psychological relationship that is
different from friendship)
■ Nakedness is disapproved since ~100,000 years ago
■ Males who enter pair bonds get a regular sexual partner, assume paternity and pledge to
care for wife and child
■ Females bear children and calculate that their male will be a good and faithful provider
and care-giver
■ Honesty is valued in the relationship
■ These change with birth control
Origins of Religious Ideas [Ancient Mesopotamian Law Codes]:
■ Ur Nammu (king) (~2047-2030 BCE)
■ Eshnunna (city) (~2000-1700 BCE)
■ Hammurabi (king) (~1792-1750 BCE)
■ Miscellaneous Sumerian laws (~2000 BCE)
Authorities for Law Codes:
■ An - God of the sky, Sumer
■ Enlil - God of the wind, Sumer
■ Nanna - Lord of Ur in Sumer (Abraham)
■ Ninsun - Goddess, “mother” of Ur Nammu
■ Utu - Sun God, Sumer
■ Shamash - Sun God of Babylon when
■ Hammurabi was kin
■ Yahweh, Elohim – God of the Bible, Israel
■ From god, to king or prophet, to people
Influence of Religion on Sex:
■ Gives a purpose for pair-bonding
■ Marriage is sanctified in most religions
Document Summary
Lecture 30: history of the value of a fetus: middle eastern and western thoughts. Females determine their partners and have many of them. Have private, pair-bonded sex (behaviorual and psychological relationship that is different from friendship) Nakedness is disapproved since ~100,000 years ago. Males who enter pair bonds get a regular sexual partner, assume paternity and pledge to care for wife and child. Females bear children and calculate that their male will be a good and faithful provider and care-giver. Origins of religious ideas [ancient mesopotamian law codes]: An - god of the sky, sumer. Enlil - god of the wind, sumer. Nanna - lord of ur in sumer (abraham) Ninsun - goddess, mother of ur nammu. Shamash - sun god of babylon when. Yahweh, elohim god of the bible, israel. From god, to king or prophet, to people. All these pronouncements and practices derive from unfalsifiable, not to be questions, assertions of holiness that must be taken on faith.