Alan Soble’s article “Sexual Use and What to do about it.”

Alan Soble’s article “Sexual Use and What to do about it.”

Kant’s second formulation is the formula of the end in itself, sometimes referred to as the principle of respect for persons.  This formulation states that individual needs to treat the humanity or self as an end and not a means to an end. Treating people to an end means respecting other people as moral agents with goals and projects to pursue in their lives. Kant’s second formulation states that an individual should never treat other people the same way as they treat inanimate objects.  Kant offers a definition of sexual desires and sexual use in the metaphysics of morals in consistency with his moral system. Sex has moved away from the patriarchal conception of it where the rape victims claim to have exclusive rights, which has replaced Kantian conceptions in ideas of sexual objectification, and the primacy of consent in distinguishing between the acceptable an unacceptable morality. It is true that humans have to engage in sexual acts for procreation (Soble 228).

Kant’s own solution to the sexual problem is that sexual activity is permissible only in the context of heterosexual, monogamous lifelong marriage. In this case, Kant’s solution to the problem is a thick externalism that is minimalist. Howard Williams made a shrewd observation on Kant’s solution that the most significant of Kant’s argument involves treating oneself and their partners as objects. Therefore, this clearly, demonstrate that marriage is the only ethical desirable context for sex, Kant should start from better premise than the claims that sexual activities are restricted to marriage.

There are two proposed solutions to the problem, the internalist solution and the externalist solution. Furthermore, the internalist resolutions offer advice on the modification of the character of sexual activity so that the individuals engaging in the sexual activity conform to Kant’s Second Formulation. In this case, the internalists restrain their impulses on natural sexual expression. In this case, mutual consent is necessary for morality of sexual acts. There are two ways in which internalism is expressed, the behavioral and psychological internalism. The behavioral internalism is a process through which the physical components of the sexual acts constitute moral differences (Soble, 233).   In this case, sexual desires are defined according to the desires for contact with another person’s body, and the consequent pleasure brought by the physical contact. On the other hand, the psychological internalism occurs in accordance to the different attitudes present during the sexual act. These attitudes are the attitudes that repudiate between morally wrong acts and destructive mutual pleasures.

According to the externalist solution, morality necessitates the placement of restraints on the conditions, under which the sexual activities are performed.  This sets the background that sexual acts occur enabling the satisfaction of Second Formulation. Minimalist externalism claims that morality requires the context of sexual activities defined, and the sexual activity outcome is not a factor in this case. On the other hand, the extended externalism states that the outcome of the sexual activity affects the character of the sexual acts. However, in both cases, the concept of informed consent of factors in both cases is a necessity and sufficient in both cases. The giving of informed consent   from the other party is essential, as it is essential in making permissible sex.

Soble claims that the other solution to sex problem is the reformulation of sex in such a way that it is not a priori to immoral. Soble’s identifies that the problem lies in the definition of sexual desires. Soble supports Kant’s ideas that the body is a means that one uses for sexual pleasures, and to this effect, the other person is treated as a fungible, functional thing (Soble, 226). Therefore, he suggests that a special consideration to the reformulation of definition, to a property whose effects is the categorical objectification of others, is the other solution.

Internalist theory refers to the belief that an explanation can be given of a given subject by highlighting the things internally conceived by an individual. Internalists are driven by moral convictions that are intrinsically motivating. Therefore, according to this theory, a person’s conviction drives their actions and moral motives. On the other hand, externalist theory defines the things that motivate humans, in justifying their beliefs and determine meanings. According to this theory, there is no relationship between moral motives and moral convictions. In this case, there is no relationship between the moral convictions that an act is wrong, and the motivation against doing the act (Soble, 258).

The reconciliation of the goodness of sexuality with the categorical Imperative differs from the internalist and externalist solutions offered.  The conditions under which sexual good can be explored include the use of both the internalist and externalist conditions, through the understanding of purely affective sense.  Sexual acts should be restrained by certain attitudes and the presence, which ensure the satisfaction of the other party. When sex is about pleasing the other party as much as pleasing oneself, then it does not involve using the other party as a means as it incorporates the aspect of respect. In this case, providing sexual satisfaction to the other party satisfies Kant’s second formulation.

In conclusion, Motivational internalism is the most acceptable and applicable solution, because morality is intangible and metaphysical is impossible. This is because amoralist is aware of their moral obligations yet they are still not motivated to do the right thing. Marriage is the best context to achieve sexual good, as it has minimum risks of objectification. Having the notion, that marriage is a sacramental union rather than a legal union brings the two classes of solutions together. Setting moral constraints on desires allow an individual to control sexual desires, and choose only to pursue the desires, which eventually bring virtuous habits.

 

 

Work cited

Soble, Alan. “Sexual use and what to do about it: Internalist and externalist sexual ethics.” Essays in Philosophy 2.2 (2001): 2.

 

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