PHIL - 317. Sexual Ethics

This course explores the ethical dimensions of human sexuality from a philosophical perspective. Respecting ourselves and others in our capacity as sexual agents can come with distinctive ethical ideals and constraints. Core topics of this class include things like-the nature of autonomy, consent, love, care, and harm-specific to human sexuality. Philosophers have come to different conclusions about the nature of these notions, and special emphasis will be put upon the practical consequences of adopting different frameworks and whether such consequences would result in a just and equitable world. We will address questions like: are sexual desires morally evaluable or does moral evaluation only apply to action? What conditions make consent possible, and what conditions make consent impossible? What is the difference between flirting and 'being a creep'? Is pornography intrinsically exploitative? Metaphysical, epistemological and moral issues will all be raised, along with the ever-relevant question about how to put our principles into action.

Prerequisite(s): PHIL 101  or PHIL 103  or PHIL 105  
Attribute: LAS, WGSS