Questions and Issues Related to Sexual Ethics - outline

Dr. Richard T. Nolan

1.

 

What is/are the sources for the norms of morality? [reason, etc.]

     

2.

 

What ethical principles are applicable?

     

3.

 

"Levels" of Human Sexuality: emotional, sensual, genital

     

4.

 

What is/are the purpose(s) of human (genital) sexuality?
[Under what circumstances should an individual achieve genital friction, such that orgasm might occur?]

     
   

A. procreation (& consistent activities)

     
   

B. procreation/unitive affection (& consistent activities)

     
   

C. unitive affection (& consistent activities)

     
   

D. pleasure (& consistent activities) [recreational sex]

     

5.

 

Clarification of some categories

     
   

A. male/female

     
   

B. suppression [conscious effort to control/conceal unacceptable ideas & feelings]
 repression [unconscious effort to control/conceal unacceptable ideas & feelings]

     
   

C. masculine - feminine

   

i. gender identity [inner sense of male/femaleness]

   

ii. "effeminaphobia"

   

iii. "homosexual panic" [anxiety attacks/unconscious conflicts]

     
   

D. aesthetic responses to individuals and sexual activities

   

i. "homorepulsive/homoaverse"

     
   

E. transsexual/transgendered [conflict between gender identity and one's sex]

     
   

F. transvestite ["clinical," "drag queen," female impersonator/entertainer, pre-surgery transsexual]

     
   

G. pedophilia/pedophile [adults with children; prior to childs puberty; heterosexual or homosexual]

     
   

H. ephebophilia/hebephilia [adult erotic focus on adolescent youth between 13 and 17; heterosexual or homosexual]

     
   

I. pederasty [homosexual anal intercourse between men and passive boys]

     

6.

 

Sexual Orientation [sometimes sexual "identity" or "preference"]

     
   

A. heterosexual - ambisexual/bisexual - homosexual

     
   

B. "causes" of sexual orientations

   

i. embryonic developmental theories

   

ii. environmental theories

     
   

C. sexual orientation disturbance [conflicted; wish to change]

     
   

D. "cures" for sexual orientation

     
   

E. conditioning for particular sexual behaviors

     

7.

 

What is moral sexual behavior?

     
   

A. role of ethical principles

     
   

B. Are there sexual acts morally wrong in themselves?

   

i. medical factors see http://www.philosophy-religion.org/living/delicate-matter.html

     
   

C. abstinence

     
   

D. masturbation

     
   

E. heterosexual activities

   

i. within a monogamous marriage

   

ii. other contexts

   

a. lovers/partners?

   

b. open marriage?

   

c. group commitment? [polygamy, polyandry, communal]

   

d. multiple partners?

   

e. prostitution?

   

f. age restrictions between partners?

     
   

F. homosexual activities

   

i. within a monogamous relationship ["marriage"?]

   

ii. other contexts

   

[see b,c,d,e,f above]

     

8.

 

What is "normal" or "natural" sexual behavior?

     
   

A. criteria