Applying ethical theories

• Natural Law:

  • sees homosexuality as wrong as it doesn't uphold the primary precepts
  • helped with the beliefs of the Roman Catholic church
  • extra marital sex - goes against the idea of a structured society as a child that is born into it may be
  • pre-marital sex brings fourth a similar idea as extra-marital
  • Burton M. Leiser - sex is more than just reproduction, its about intense pleasure
  • extra-marital sex -- could be seen as moral if someone is infertile - Abraham and the servant girl Hagar
• Situation Ethics:

  • woman having sex in prisoner of war camp - extramarital but it was the most loving thing to do
  • agape love
  • focuses on the injustices in the way sexual relationships are regulated - would allow homosexuality
  • woman having an affair but caring for husband with Alzeimars
  • difficult to apply
  • pre marital sex - what happens if she becomes pregnant - what is the loving thing then
• Kantian Ethics:

  • consensual promises made by two people - links to people being exclusive - against extra-marital sex
  • all to be treated equally/ dignity -- allows homosexuality
  • but homosexuality can't be universalised - similar to extra and pre marital sex
  • universalisation of reproduction would make homosexuality against it
• Utilitarianism:

  • maximise the greatest happiness and or pleasure of the majority of people
  • Act - marriage protects women, pleasure could cause unhappiness,
  • Mill - free to behave however as long as it does not cause harm, free liberal society, wished for marriage to be fairer as it constrains the women, if open marriage is wanted then it should be allowed
  • contraception should be allowed
  • homosexuality could be stopped - if majority of the population is against it.