Sex Ethics OCR Religious Studies Lockdown Special!

[@louisbarker3530]

Been watching your vids for the past 2 months to get through my a level exams, so so helpful so thanks a lot- only 2 left now, monday and thursday. Bringing home that bacon.

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

Really pleased my videos have been helping. I hope your last two exams go really well 🙂

[@lucyreading7274]

these videos are SO helpful. thank you so much! :)

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

That's great to hear Lucy, I'm pleased I can help. Hope your revision is going well :)

[@marthahaslamcooke95]

Methodist Church, as it stands on 13/06/22, have allowed same-sex marriage, after a lengthy process called "God In Love Unites Us". It took roughly two years for them to get to that point, including a vote in Synod, but it has been approved (as of last summer). So they're the most recent church to do so I believe :)

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

Very useful point Martha, thanks for sharing :)

[@martamonticelli7456]

Hi, Would they ever ask a question like: is utilitarianism a more convincing approach to sexual ethics than Kantian ethics (so would they by able to name drop 2 normative tehories forcing you to compare, or is it open ended is Kant the best and then you can pick which to mention etc?)

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

They have asked a question like that once before so they could but usually they just focus on one theory for discussion and it is your choice if you wish to bring in another argument :)

[@chloew968]

Would you have to talk about each of the 4WPs or 6FPs if using situation ethics, or could you just link particular ones if they were relevant? Also, for SE how could sex itself be linked to agape, as surely that's instead about lust?

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

If the question is specifically SE and sex I would link the ones that are relevant but mention the others to show the examiner you know them. And yes very good point because sex isn't unconditional love but an act then you could question this in an essay, however consensual sex could be argued to promote a development of agape :)

[@chloew968]

@@IThinkThereforeITeach Thanks so much!

[@magicalsunshine1420]

Ya know if a questions eg your prediction of “no theory is useful when dealing with issues surrounding homosexuality” how would you approach this? I struggle not with the content but essay structure so would you apply just two and compare in greater detail rather than shoving all 4 in? Is it also better to always go back and forth with arguments as I understand to gain marks for evaluation, you must use your own analysis, not simply presenting an alternative viewpoint, thanks!

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

Hi, I would stick to two arguments to get more depth of discussion (even though some students do prefer talking about 3 or even 4 of the theories which is fine) as long as the clear focus throughout is on homosexuality so you are not writing a NL essay for example but a homosexuality one. Easiest way to do this is by having examples/stats/laws/case studies that focus on homosexuality and then apply your theories to these. For example you follow what beings happiness/pleasure (util) but what happens if against the law (give example) then discuss the application. Going back and forth as part of your discussion also adds greater depth. Just have a clear line of argument and always focus everything on the theme in the question. Hope that makes sense and that your revision is going really well :)

[@rosieslater5436]

thankyou so much for making these videos they are so helpful!

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

Really pleased I can help Rosie ☺️ I hope your revision is going well!

[@columnhi3352]

How would we incorporate the Bible in the ethics essays? Or should that be saved for development in Christian thoughts?

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

Absolutely it shows a holistic understanding of the course and adds to synoptic links. Make sure you make it clear as to why relevant to Q and your line of argument :)

[@freddiejp3181]

if a exam question was on homosexuality (for example) would i have to talk about all 4 normative theories ? thanks for vid was great!

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

Hi Freddie, if Q specifically on homosexuality you could do, that would work. Or apply 2 theories and compare which works best to get more depth and detail. I think answers which compare which h approach is best through some comparison works better than four paragraphs which each discuss homosexuality separately:)

[@Aleksa-up3et]

Hi - how would you recommend approaching a question that was on public vs private. Thank you for the videos, they have been really helpful!

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

A tricky question. Link public vs private to each of the sexual ethics themes and argue whether each act is justice in public and/or private e.g some countries it is illegal to be homosexual so therefore cannot be in public. You could also use your theories to plump it out, e.g kant's duty to work out if pre marital sex should be a public decision or private :)

[@lousemay4938]

if they asked the question ' evaluate whether religious beliefs and practices concerning sex and relationships should have a continuing role in the area of sexual ethics, would you focus on the ethical theories or on traditional christian attitudes to premarital and extramarital sex ect

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

I would draw upon the Christian links in the normative theories e.g pp/sp but also on Christianity as a whole and how these apply to the issues (extra/pre/homosexuality) :)

[@coragane5127]

Wouldn't contraception be considered as apart of the 'lower pleasures'?

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

You don't really have to discuss contraception as one of the main themes. How are you making the link to a lower pleasure?

[@coragane5127]

@@IThinkThereforeITeach I suppose I was more just looking at Mill's views, where he supported contraception. I think of 'lower pleasures' as those that mean actions that don't allow intelligence/understanding. If someone is using contraception then wouldn't that be classed as 'bodily desires' in the sense that it may be used for sexual gratification etc. If looking at contraception in that way, I suppose I looked at it from an 'apparent good' way- where then I linked it to Mill.

[@eviebeeswax1307]

who was it that came up with the example of accidentally sleeping with anothers wife? could this be used as an extramarital example?

[@BradleySmart-cx3vd]

It was Aquinas’ invincible ignorance example (it’s in conscience). I’d argue it’s not technically extramarital sex because both parties thought they were having sex with their legitimate spouses (so they therefore didn’t commit the sin of adultery)😊

[@eviebeeswax1307]

@@BradleySmart-cx3vd thank you!

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

You could still use it as a link to extra martial sex though and link it to invincible ignorance (as mentioned in another comment) as this would be very clever in a discussion. Whilst the people involved might think it is legitimate, it is still technically extra marital if they are in fact married to someone else :)

[@eviebeeswax1307]

@@IThinkThereforeITeach thank you , cant believe ive only seen this after the exam😭😭😭

[@bb3t11]

Hi, wouldn’t Kant oppose sex that isn’t for the purpose of reproduction because it involves using them as an object for lust ?

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

I guess you could explore that as one avenue of discussion. For example if you only have sex to reproduce then could argue means to end, also Kant would talk about autonomy, Goodwill and duty and each of these could link to sex in different ways. I'm not sure it is s and white as either sex for reproduction or lust 🤔

[@bb3t11]

@@IThinkThereforeITeach Ok, thank you :)

[@loishart9013]

Hi! Love the videos there helping so much in the last leg of alevels! Just wanted to ask for some clarity, if a question like 'assess the view that, according to natural law, homosexuality is wrong' would I have to argue that natural law says its either right or wrong, or could i argue that even though natural law says its wrong, other ethical theories provide the view that it should be accepted? Hope this makes sense haha

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

Hi Lois, I doubt you would get a question like that as Natural Law can be applied in different ways to homosexuality, you usually get a question that asks if natural law is helpful or useful etc soyou explore the application of NL to ethical situations but you can bring in another theory to compare just make sure you always focus on the question and link everything back. Hope that makes sense :)

[@loishart9013]

@@IThinkThereforeITeach Thankyou so much! Helps alot :)

[@favourarihilam5622]

What do you think the question for tomorrow will be on?

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

Hi, follow the link the details to the blog for predictions. I also go over Q's I think likely in the stream to help answer them :)

[@billslim1112]

But doesn't the treating of people as ends and not merely means, mean that all sex of any kind is wrong because all sex has some kind of purpose it wishes to achieve (pleasure, procreation...), and people are always used as a means to achieve that end.

[@IThinkThereforeITeach]

Very good question. This question links to all interactions in society e.g teaching, doctors etc but you can definitely raise this as part of your discussion in a sex ethics question. Means to an end links to universalizability, so Kant would emphasize consent and whether the encounter can be universalised. Means to an end refers to using someone without the other person being aware of the transaction/ that they are being used. It is it mutual and consented to - this can be universalised so limited means to end. Hope this makes sense :)