Kant on Sex. Reconsidered. -- A Kantian account of sexuality: sexual love, sexual identity, and sexual orientation

Abstract

Kant on sex gives most philosophers the following associations: a lifelong celibate philosopher; a natural teleological view of sexuality; a strange incorporation of this natural teleological account within his freedom-based moral theory; and a stark ethical condemnation of most sexual activity. Although this paper provides an interpretation of Kant’s view on sexuality, it neither defends nor offers an apology for everything Kant says about sexuality. Rather, it aims to show that a reconsidered Kant-based account can utilize his many worthwhile insights and that by making Kant’s account of sexuality more consistent with his own basic philosophical commitments, the result is a compelling approach to the complex and complicated phenomena of sexual love, sexual identity, and sexual orientation.

Recovering Early Modern Women Writers

“…The first thing to notice is just how far these patterns deviate from the norms of the analytic tradition, and the typical treatment of texts within the history of philosophy, as described earlier. Although we do not see commentators beginning their treatments of texts by Locke and Kant with details about their personal lives, or utilizing these details to explain the argumentative moves they make—indeed, we often do not see this move even where warranted (see Varden )—we do see these patterns in scholarship on early modern women philosophers. Moreover, the same personal details get repeated or recycled again and again.…”

Kantianism and the Problem of Child Sex Robots

“…27 Similarly, Helga Varden writes that reflecting on Kant's expressed views about sex 'leads not [only] to simple puzzlement but also to sadness'. 28 Others, like Barbara Herman 29 and Allen Wood, 30 think that although Kant is wrong about whether sexual desires are always necessarily objectifying and incompatible with respect for persons and their humanity, a broadly Kantian view of sexual ethics can be developed that could be plausible and worth taking seriously. Varden, too, thinks that within Kant's overall moral philosophy, enough substance is available to formulate a compelling view of sexual ethics.…”