Centre of Ethics, University of Tartu 2010.

1. Philosophical
Sexual Ethics
Tommi Paalanen
Centre of Excellence in Sexual Health Education
JAMK University of Applied Sciences
Department Social Studies (Philosophy)
University of Helsinki

2. What is sexual ethics?
Theoretical approach
Critical assessment
Universal methods of ethical evaluation
Practical approach
Case studies
Professional ethics
Sexual politics
Intersects with
Social and political philosophy
Gender and queer studies, power analysis
Multidisciplinary sexology
Legislation

3. Carolyn Weltman:
Happy Happy Times

4. Basic questions
1. Which acts are sexual?
3. What kinds of sexual acts are morally
acceptable or unacceptable?
5. Are prevailing sexual norms and legislation
justified?
7. What kinds of sexual acts the community
may justifiedly ban?
9. Which conditions may justify patronising
an individual in sexual matters?

5. Sexual activity?
Touching certain body parts?
A list of different acts?
Reproduction?
Reproductive form?
Sexual intention?
Fulfilling certain desires?
Pleasure?
Is there any exhaustive definition?

6. Carolyn Weltman:
Naughty Girl

7. Sufficient conditions
An extended open-ended definition:
Sexual activities are activities that
produce certain kind of pleasure
OR are connected to them by similarity
AND there is an intention to do something
sexual

8. Traditions
Religious ethics
Natural law
Romatic-conservative ethos
Love and marriage
Kantian sexual ethics
Treating persons as ends
Against all kinds of exploitation
Liberal sexual ethics
Individual autonomy
Contractualism

9. Elisabeth
Ohlson Wallin
Ecce Homo Ecce Homo
Exhibition

10. Basics of liberal sexual ethics 1
John Stuart Mill: Harm Principle
The liberty of an individual
may be restricted only to
prevent harm to others
wrongfully setting
back one’s intrests
(Joel Feinberg)
Wrongful = not justified
Harm to self vs. harm to others

11. Basics of liberal sexual ethics 2
Basic rights
Autonomy
Inviolability (integrity)
Contractualism
Voluntary informed consent
Individual sexual liberty  diversity of practice
Liberalism is not a personal value choice,
but a meta-value that is necessary
for upkeeping plural society

12. Carolyn Weltman:
Preparing to Fly

13. Criticism
Should we accept all dubious acts only
because they are seemingly non-harmful?
When is paternalism justifiable?
Leftist critique of contractualism
Structural inbalance of power
Feminist critique
Power relations based on gender
Pathriarchal society
Hidden inequality

14. Controversial feminism
Racical feminism
Abolish patriarchy! End heterosexuality!
Conservative feminism
Sex-negative politics: exploitation is everywhere
Liberal feminism
Rewriting cultural scripts: empowerment
Women as autonomous sexual subjects
Humanist (scientific) feminism
Studying gender systems
Disclosing previously ignored perspectives
Ethics of care

15. Carolyn Weltman:
Keeping Time

16. Carolyn Weltman:
Lola Delicious

17. Common fallacies
Legalism
”Law or rules tells us what is right or wrong”
Conservatism
”Common norms tell us what is right or wrong”
Authoritarianism
”Moral leader or public opinion…”
Subjectivism
”Personal feelings, preferences or disgust…”
Moralism
”Certain moral ideals…”

18. Ethical evaluation
Intentions information and
comprehension
ACT also omission
Violating Consequences also
rights serious risk
Wrongfully
caused but not
harm nuisance or
displeasure

19. Sexual ethics in practice
Respecting individual autonomy
Keeping up neutrality
Sexual activities are morally neutral
Distinction between sexual preference and act
Ideological impartiality
Building justified sexual politics
Coherent and evidence-based
No prohibition of any consensual activity
Promoting sexual rights…

20. …also when it means
the rights of a
queer transvestite
sadomasochist
Declaration of Sexual Rights:
World Association for Sexual Health
www.worldsexology.com
Picture: Qumma Art

21. Thank you!
tommi.paalanen@helsinki.fi
Carolyn Weltman:
A la Kama Sutra