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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 April 2020
In a philosophical dialogue, Thomas the traditionalist, Harvey the hedonist, and Eric the economist each discuss their respective views concerning the ethics of human sex acts. In the course of their conversation, it becomes clear that if sex is to be treated like any other pleasure (and therefore enjoyed indiscriminately), it is very difficult to explain what is so bad about rape and/or other forms of sexual assault. Taking any kind of sexual assault to be bad, therefore, requires adopting a more traditional view towards sex.
1 Benatar, D., ‘Two Views of Sexual Ethics: Promiscuity, Pedophilia, and Rape’, Public Affairs Quarterly 16/3 (2002): 191–201Google Scholar. Benatar raises some of the questions that I explore here, but he muddies the waters by discussing pedophilia. I agree with his concerns that a casual view towards sex makes it difficult to explain what's morally wrong with pedophilia, but unlike Benatar, I'm not agnostic about whether one should take the significance attitude towards sex acts. Because I defend a traditional model of sex (and therefore a significance attitude), I don't have any difficulty explaining what's wrong with pedophilia, but I won't discuss that further here.
2 Noted feminist Paglia, Camille defends this view in Sexual Personae (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1990)Google Scholar. The Austin Institute produced a very helpful animated video that explains the economics of sex in very accessible ways, which can be accessed at <https://youtu.be/cO1ifNaNABY>.
3 I deny that the permanence of the relationship is sufficient for sex to not count as rape, since I think it's possible for a spouse to be raped. But since a permanent relationship isn't a condition in the case of almost all rapes, there's no need to discuss that further here.
4 For arguments as to why consent is the important distinction, and why physically invasive assault is particularly bad, see Nussbaum, M., Sex and Social Justice (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000)CrossRefGoogle Scholar; and Satz, D., Why Some Things Should Not Be For Sale (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012)Google Scholar. Thanks to Megan Fritts for bringing these sources to my attention.
5 True story. Read about it here: <https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/unknown-john-locke-manuscript-found-maryland-college-180973044/>.
6 Thanks to many who read and commented on earlier versions of the manuscript, especially Jim Arbour, Megan Fritts, Adam Groza, Ryan Holland, Chad McIntosh, Jannai Shields, and Jim Spiegel.