Exam 8: Consent Is Not Enough

McPherson explains that the liberal sexual ethic leads to a number of conclusions with regard to sexual relationships. Which of the following is NOT one of those conclusions?

McPherson suggests that sexual desire takes two general forms. What are they?

David McPherson argues that "when sex is 'cheap' and widely available, sexual partners often become seen as easily 'discardable,' and this leaves people feeling ... that they themselves have been treated as 'cheap.'" Do you agree that casual sex leads to people feeling devalued or cheap? If so, do you think that this is necessarily a part of casual sex, or are there ways of having casual sex that don't make people feel this way? If you disagree with McPherson, explain why, also explaining what people may experience from having casual sex. For example, lots of people claim that casual sex is empowering, which makes McPherson sound wrong.

What is the proper context for sexual relationships, according to the traditional sexual ethic?

McPherson argues that sexual relationships are necessarily objectifying.

McPherson affirms that it is distinctive of the liberal sexual ethic to maintain that there even is such a thing as casual sex.

Why is the consent-only model of sexual ethics a liberal sexual ethic?

McPherson affirms what about the way that sexual ethics should be taught at colleges?

David McPherson argues that objectification is a part of casual sex and that this is a bad thing. In your essay, discuss what we should say about the ethics of objectification. Is objectification ever okay? If so, why and when? Even if objectification is okay at times, is it appropriate in the context of sexual relationships? Be sure to include McPherson's examples of objectifying behavior in your discussion.

David McPherson says that one of the problems with the liberal sexual ethic is that it can't make sense of what is so wrong about sexual violence. Defenders of the liberal sexual ethic would probably disagree. In your essay, describe what a defender of the liberal sexual ethic would say about McPherson's claim. What can the consent-only model of sexual ethics offer in terms of an explanation for the serious wrong of sexual violence?

McPherson argues that the liberal sexual ethic cannot explain what?

McPherson forwards what view of sexual ethics to contrast the liberal sexual ethic?

McPherson offers a definition of the sexual virtue of chastity. Which of the following characteristics does NOT fit his definition?