In this paper, you will select either objectification/sexual violence or sex work as your topic and then offer an analysis of the conceptual and normative issues surrounding it. Your final paper should be 5-6 pages long (1300-1700 words), typed, and double-spaced. Remember that the maximum length requirement is an important aspect of this assignment.
Course Description
The American poet and short story writer Raymond Carver once wrote: “It ought to make us feel ashamed when we talk like we know what we’re talking about when we talk about love.” Indeed, a little reflection shows that love is perplexing, and the same can be said of the related concepts of gender and sexuality.
Strong bonds exist between parents and children, romantic lovers, friends, and fellow citizens. How can love come in so many forms? Can we reason our way out of conflicts between them? Is there a duty to love strangers?
Sexuality is a battleground where love can seemingly become perverse or unethical. Do celibates sacrifice something important? Can one love multiple romantic partners simultaneously? Is it wrong to? Should marriage be restricted to opposite-sex couples, or to couples rather than groups? Is pornography oppressive or obscene? Should sex work be legalized and normalized?
Does gender determine what forms of love and sex are natural? Should transgender folks be guaranteed access to restrooms and other public facilities of their choice? And what is sex, anyway? Does masturbation count? Is virginity important?
The goal of the course is to help us become more thoughtful about the problems and possibilities of gender, love, and sexuality. Our investigation will lead us through a comparative study of the many contrasting visions of love and sex we find expressed in great works of art and literature and within ethical perspectives both secular and religious throughout Western history. Some authors whose work we will examine include Thomas Aquinas, Judith Butler, Irving Singer, Martha Nussbaum, and Audre Lorde.
Course Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
Interpret rationally our own actions and experiences by examining our assumptions and commitments about what living well requires of us.
Evaluate and critique philosophical arguments and develop your own.
Explain key concepts and theories within the philosophical study of gender, love, and sexuality.
Develop a critical and thoughtful relationship with your own beliefs and assumptions about issues of right and wrong surrounding gender, love, and sexuality.
Communicate ideas effectively and listen more carefully to those of others.
Develop and improve public speaking skills.
Collaborate effectively with others in developing a plan for thoughtfully responding to challenging empirical, conceptual, and ethical issues around gender, love, and sexuality.
Exercise and improve the skills of rigorous analysis and respectful dialogue in order to become better citizens of a free society where you do not always agree but nevertheless exchange reasons for your beliefs and actions in a civil and public-spirited way.
Required Course Materials
Required Textbooks
There are two required textbooks for this course.
Frankfurt, H. G. (2006). The reasons of love. Princeton University Press.
The book is available online via the GU library, https://www-jstor-org.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/stable/j.ctt7rqh3 (Links to an external site.). Please use your GU NetID and password to login if you are prompted for credentials.
Halwani, R., Soble, A., Hoffman, S., & Held, J. (Eds). (2017). The philosophy of sex: Contemporary readings (7th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Overview of Assignments
This is an online course, and this course is highly interactive. All course readings, videos, notes, and other materials are posted online. You are required to read course material, and participate/post class discussions on a timely regular basis, according to posted instructions. Regular completion of reading assignments and participation in online discussions are essential to the course. In order to successfully complete this course, you must demonstrate your understanding of the material by:
Reading the required weekly text chapters and/or assigned articles
Watching the video lectures
Participating actively in the online asynchronous discussions and collaborating with your assigned group
Completing the two reflection assignments
Submitting a short paper
Writing a midterm paper and final paper
Here is an overview of all of the assignments in the course.
Online Discussions: Students will be divided into small groups and write and post in the discussion forums regularly throughout the term. Each discusses the main topic of the module, synthesizes the readings (300 words), and includes two replies to other students’ posts (100 words). One of the group members is required to record a 3-5 minute video to summarize the group discussion and share it with the entire class. The discussion activities provide students with an opportunity to deeply reflect on the readings assigned to each module and relate them to real-world situations. All of the posts on the discussion board are required to be thoughtful, reflective, and concise.
At the end of the semester, you will score your entire team, including yourself, based on the quality of each member’s contributions. Your instructor will average these scores and make any necessary adjustments to determine your Peer Evaluation grade.
Short Paper: Your task in this paper is to analyze the view of the relationship between love and reason articulated by Frankfurt in an essay entitled “The Question: ‘How Should We Live?’” You are to make clear the basis of the disagreement by explaining what view of the relationship between human nature, love, and reason underlies each position. Your paper is to be 3-4 pages long (800-1100 words), typed and double-spaced. Remember that the maximum length requirement is an important aspect of this assignment.
Reflection Assignments: There are two reflection assignments in the course. The first reflection requires you to reflect on the difficulties in precisely defining sex. Your reflection should be 1-2 pages long (250-300 words), typed, and double-spaced. The second reflection requires you to tour an art exhibit or collection, either virtually or at a gallery or museum in your area. You should select an artwork whose representation of sexual orientation or erotic partnership in human life you find thought-provoking or compelling. You will prepare a 3-5 minute video presentation and share it with the class in a discussion forum.
Midterm Paper: You will encounter a range of views on the nature and purpose of romantic partnership as an intimate practice between consenting adults. You have also grappled with a bunch of conceptual and normative issues surrounding gender as a part of our everyday lived experience. In this paper, you will select either partnership or gender as your topic and then proceed to offer an analysis of the conceptual and normative issues surrounding it. Your midterm paper should be 5-6 pages long (1300-1700 words), typed, and double-spaced. Remember that the maximum length requirement is an important aspect of this assignment.
Final Paper: In this paper, you will select either objectification/sexual violence or sex work as your topic and then offer an analysis of the conceptual and normative issues surrounding it. Your final paper should be 5-6 pages long (1300-1700 words), typed, and double-spaced. Remember that the maximum length requirement is an important aspect of this assignment.
