Virtues ethics denote to the virtues that one upholds for a good life. Imperatively, the need to engage in virtue ethics is to become good. As postulated by Aristotle, upholding these ethics ensures that one leads eudemonia or happiness (Kenny, 2016). It is on this basis that this essay explores virtue ethics in its argument against pornography.
The essence of virtue ethics is the virtuous state of a person as an agent of morals. The theory of virtue focuses on living a good life that has goals and an end in it. That life should have a purpose and how we act should be useful and potent to society (Kenny, 2016). Sexual relationships join two people into an emotional and physical union and thus should not be regarded as just a bodily passion. One of such relationships is pornography. Pornography is described as any material; a book, video, picture, or writing that is shows naked people and sexual acts aimed at making people get sexually excites, particularly in a manner that many others may find it offensive (Halwani, 2006). The representation of these erotic conducts in all mediums becomes offensive since it does not serve the good that virtue ethics postulates.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
While different defenses have been advanced in argument for pornography based on different normative ethical theories like social benefit theory, moral-inversion argument and civil liberties among others, this article finds these positions not arriving at the good that virtue ethics emphasize. Pornography is morally wrong, not for the porn star but the viewer. Most of those who watch porn may lack virtues since pornography depicts women as mere objects that are meant to meet the intimate needs of the man (Stryker & Pennington, 2014). Secondly, the harm effects that pornography creates for the viewer negates the various ethical and philosophical theories like deontology. Deontological theories seek one to have a moral duty to an aspect of something happening in society. The viewer of pornography negates that duty by watching obscene and offensive material to their character. For instance, studies have demonstrated that people watching pornography will seek for more hardcore porn material than what they have watched before. In essence, pornography corrupts the good that can come out of the viewer since it encourages addiction and vulgar emotional attachments to the vice.
Pornography is wrong from virtue ethics perspective since, those affected do not strive to have good character. Their minds are inclined to view people, especially women, in a different way, as objects meant for sexual pleasure (Hald, Seaman & Linz, 2014). In most of the pornographic materials, women are depicted as designed to meet the sexual fantasies of men. Additionally, pornography creates false believe among young men who think that the type of sex shown in these materials is the kind that all young women needs and deserve. Such attitudes create sexual stereotype among men and women, and negates the essence of demonstrating virtuous conduct and living good. For instance, some form attitudes that all women want sex from men, and the women love all the sexual conducts done by men (Weiss, 2016). It also postulates the notion that men must dominate during these sexual encounters and the women must show that they are happy with the moves.
Pornography goes against virtue ethics since it reduces self-control for the viewer, which is an essential virtue of being good. Pornography is morally wrong since it degrades those participating as mere sexual objects and makes the viewer look at people from similar perspective. Above all, it is offensive and negates the need not to cause harm to others.
References
Hald, M., Seaman, C., Linz, D. (2014). Sexuality and Pornography. APA handbook of sexuality and psychology, Vol. 2: Contextual approaches.
Halwani, R. (2006). Sex and Ethics: Essays in Sexuality, Virtue, and the Good Life.
Kenny, A. (2016). The Aristotelian Ethics: A study of the relationship between the Eudemian and Nicomachean ethics of Aristotle . Oxford University Press.
Stryker, K., Pennington, L. (March 2014). Can Porn be Ethical? New Internationalist. Issue 470, page 30-32. 3p.
Weiss, E. (2016). Review-The Philosophy of Pornography: Contemporary Perspectives by Coleman, L. and Held, J.M. (Editors). Rowman & Littlefield, 2014; vol.20, no.27.
