Analytic Philosophy After Dark: Can casual sex be part of human flourishing?
Join us at one of our favorite bars to discuss the ethics of sex.
“For the natural use that one makes of the other’s sexual organs is enjoyment, for which one gives itself up to the other. In this act a human being makes himself into a thing, which conflicts with the right of humanity in his own person. There is only one condition under which this is is possible: that while one person is acquired by the other, as if it were a thing, the one who is acquired acquires the other in turn, for in this way each reclaims itself and restores its personality.” - Immanuel Kant
Sex has been a less common topic in the history of philosophy but one that has been discussed since ancient times. Immanuel Kant famously argued that any sex outside of marriage is inherently wrong because it treats a person as an object instead of a being with autonomy. While few of us would accept Kant’s conclusion, the debate on the value of casual sex or the pervasiveness of “hookup culture” continues.
Possible discussion questions
Is casual sex an overall benefit or harm?
Does casual sex involve objectification?
Is sex without commitment or friendship inherently transactional?
How can sex contribute to human flourishing?
Is the goodness or badness of casual sex objective or relative to different individuals?
Optional readings
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