Philosophy of Sex & Love Position Paper

Philosophy  of  Sex  and  Love   Fall  2014   Prof.  Sher  

  Position  Paper:  Choice,  Love,  &  Marriage  

  Due  Date:  November  13    

Paper  peer  review  November  6  (bring  3  hard  copies  of  your  paper)   Paper  length:  1000  –  1500  words   This  paper  is  worth  300  points    

  ANSWER  ONE  OF  THE  FOLLOWING  QUESTIONS:      

1. Love    and  the  Problem  of  Choice     (i) Explain  why  Rousseau  believes  that  the  element  of  choice  creates  a  deep  

problem  for  love  that  ultimately  makes  us  miserable,  whether  or  not  we  are   in  a  relationship.  

  (ii) Rapaport  responds  to  Rousseau’s  problem  of  choice  by  suggesting  that  we  

should  restructure  society,  creating  more  equal  economic  and  social   relations  in  order  to  get  rid  (as  much  as  possible)  of  “competition  for  social   status  and  esteem”.    Why  does  she  believe  this  would  help?  

  (iii) Is  she  right  that  getting  rid  of  such  competition  would  resolve  Rousseau’s  

problem  of  choice  and  create  better  conditions  for  love  to  flourish,  or  does   romantic  love  depend  on  such  choices?      

OR    

2. Love,  Idealization,  and  Gender  Equality     (i) Firestone  argues  that  love  is  doomed  to  failure  in  a  male-­‐dominated  society,  

such  as  our  own.    Explain  her  reasons  for  this  verdict  as  it  pertains  to  how   men  and  women  love  in  such  a  society.  

  (ii) Is  her  assessment  of  the  problem  for  love  correct  with  regard  to  

contemporary  American  society?        

(iii) Assuming  it  is  correct  and  gender  inequality  is  the  problem,  what  social   changes,  if  any,  do  you  think  would  be  necessary  in  order  to  achieve   sufficient  gender  equality  to  allow  love  to  flourish  

  Instructions:  

• Answer  the  question  in  full  (each  and  every  part  and  in  that  order).   • When  explaining  your  own  view,  formulate  a  clear  thesis,  make  it  evident  in  your  

introduction,  and  support  it  with  specific  reasons  that  go  beyond  “it’s  seems  that  way  to   me”  or  “in  my  experience”.    Think  of  yourself  as  trying  to  convince  someone  who   disagrees  with  your  viewpoint.  

• You  do  not  need  to  number  your  response  parts,  nor  separate  them  into  parts,  though   you  may  do  so  if  you  like.  

  Good  luck!