Philosophy of Sex and Love An Opinionated Introduction

Writing for non-specialists and students as well as for fellow philosophers, this book explores some basic issues surrounding sex and love in today's world, among them consent, objectification, non-monogamy, racial stereotyping, and the need to reconcile contemporary expectations about gender equality with our beliefs about how love works. Author Patricia Marino argues that we cannot fully understand these issues by focusing only on individual desires and choices. Instead, we need to examine the social contexts within which choices are made and acquire their meanings. That perspective, she argues, is especially needed today, when the values of individualism, self-expression, and self-interest permeate our lives. Marino asks how we can fit these values, which govern so many areas of contemporary life, with the generosity, caring, and selflessness we expect in love and sex.

Key Features of Philosophy of Sex and Love: An Opinionated Introduction

• Offers a contemporary, problems-based approach to the subject, helping readers better understand and address current issues and controversial questions
• Includes coverage of sex and love as they intersect with topics like disability, race, medicine, and economics
• Considers not only the ethical, but also the broadly social and political dimensions of sex and love
• Includes a helpful introduction and conclusion in each chapter and is written throughout in a clear and straightforward style, with examples and signposts to help guide the student and general reader
• A comprehensive and up-to-date bibliography provides a valuable tool for anyone?s further research

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1. Sex, respect, and objectification

Introduction

Sex as inherently objectifying: the view of Immanuel Kant

Feminist theories of objectification

Nussbaum on the varying aspects of objectification

Challenges for Nussbaum's theory

Conclusion

Chapter 2: Objectification, autonomy, and pornography

Introduction

Objectification and social autonomy

Social autonomy and adaptive preferences

A social perspective on pornography

The "pornutopia" and pornography's falsity

Beyond the heterosexual context

Context

Chapter 3: Consent and rape law

Introduction

A short history of the law of consent

"'No' means no"

Communicative sexuality and nonverbal consent

The Antioch Policy and verbal consent

Affirmative consent, sexual autonomy, and the law

Conclusion

Chapter 4 Sex work

Introduction

Sex work and the law

Sex work as a free contractual exchange
Sex work, commodification, and the specialness of sex

Commercialized sex in context

Sexual surrogacy
Conclusion

Chapter 5: Union theories of love

Introduction

Why a theory of love?
The union theory and its difficulties
The relationship of self and "we"
The "we" as a merger of ends and desires

Love and irrationality
Conclusion

Chapter 6: Concern theories of love

Introduction

Love as caring concern

Disinterestedness and reciprocity
Love and autonomy in the union and concern theories

Love, autonomy, and deference

Love and rationality revisited: appraisal and bestowal

Limitless care and the problem of paternalism

Conclusion

Chapter 7: Love, fairness, and equality

Introduction

Union theories and balancing
Concern theories and deliberation

Equality and fairness
Why a theory of love, revisited

Conclusion

Chapter 8: Orientations of sex and love

Introduction

Concepts, terminology, and history
The "born that way" and "not a choice" arguments: conceptual complexities

The "born that way" and "not a choice" arguments: ethical and political complexities

Orientations and values of sex and love

Conclusion

Chapter 9: Love and marriage

Introduction

The nature of marriage
Is marriage a promise?

Gender and the institution of marriage

Is marriage bad for love?
Conclusion

Chapter 10: Sex, love, and race

Introduction

Race in cultural context

Some problems with racialized preferences

Further evaluation: causes and consequences of racialized preferences

Marriage and racial solidarity

Conclusion

Chapter 11: Sex, love, and disability

Introduction

Disability in context
Physical disabilities and sexual surrogacy

Surrogacy, intimacy, and love

Intellectual disabilities and complexities of consent

Conclusion

Chapter 12: The medicalization of sex and love

Introduction

Medicalization and the "Viagra narrative"
The social control of women's sexuality

Recent scientific study of women's sexuality

Nonconcordance and the interpretation of desire

Lack of desire and eagerness versus enjoying

Medicalization of love?
Conclusion

Chapter 13: The economics of sex and love

Introduction

Economics and love: what is the problem?
Altruism and the possibility of "self-interested" love

Economics and sex
Sex, love, and economic methodology
Conclusion

Chapter 14. Ethical nonmonogamy

Introduction

What is ethical nonmonogamy?

The values of ethical nonmonogamy

The "paradox of prevalence" and changing the law

Challenges for ethical nonmonogamy

Conclusion

References

Index

Patricia Marino is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Waterloo in Canada, where, in addition to philosophy of sex and love, she works in ethics, epistemology, and philosophy of economics. She served as co-president of the Society for the Philosophy of Sex and Love from 2008 to 2018, and is the author of Moral Reasoning in a Pluralistic World (2015).