Pornography: Morally Ethical or Unethical?
Executive Summary
This report challenges the question of whether pornography is morally ethical or unethical and how society views it today. There were three key ethical theories used to related and cross-examine to see and understand the different views of pornography and how each ethical theory provides a different reasoning behind it. Whether pornography is ethical or unethical in society, this research paper provides you with concrete examples of why our society feels the way they do about pornography and what has influenced those decisions. Pornography can be depicted into so many different forms of sexual arousal and this is the basis for examining what is right or wrong within our society. There are many different factors that play important roles for example culture.
My goal for this paper was to provide you with an in-depth look at what pornography is, how the Utilitarian, Divine Command Theory, and Kantian theories affect how our society portrays pornographic material. Furthermore how we, as individuals believe whether this topic is ethically right or wrong. After analyzing this report, and the background information provided, I came to a personal conclusion that society is too general on this topic. It ultimately comes down to an individual’s personal ethics and what they feel is ethical or unethical. Everyone has a different view on something and what may be ethical for someone may be unethical for another and vice versa.
Background
What exactly is pornography? As defined by Merriam-Webster, pornography is “the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement”. (Merriam-Webster, 2013) Pornography is hard to have one specific definition, when the meaning of porn varies from person to person and from culture to culture. Pornography is constantly changing and the way society views it, continually altering as well. With society relying heavily on the internet, pornography is not only being made
This report challenges the question of whether pornography is morally ethical or unethical and how society views it today. There were three key ethical theories used to related and cross-examine to see and understand the different views of pornography and how each ethical theory provides a different reasoning behind it. Whether pornography is ethical or unethical in society, this research paper provides you with concrete examples of why our society feels the way they do about pornography and what has influenced those decisions. Pornography can be depicted into so many different forms of sexual arousal and this is the basis for examining what is right or wrong within our society. There are many different factors that play important roles for example culture.
My goal for this paper was to provide you with an in-depth look at what pornography is, how the Utilitarian, Divine Command Theory, and Kantian theories affect how our society portrays pornographic material. Furthermore how we, as individuals believe whether this topic is ethically right or wrong. After analyzing this report, and the background information provided, I came to a personal conclusion that society is too general on this topic. It ultimately comes down to an individual’s personal ethics and what they feel is ethical or unethical. Everyone has a different view on something and what may be ethical for someone may be unethical for another and vice versa.
Background
What exactly is pornography? As defined by Merriam-Webster, pornography is “the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement”. (Merriam-Webster, 2013) Pornography is hard to have one specific definition, when the meaning of porn varies from person to person and from culture to culture. Pornography is constantly changing and the way society views it, continually altering as well. With society relying heavily on the internet, pornography is not only being made
References: Kant, I. & Infield, L. (1963). Lectures on ethics. New York, USA: Harper & Row. Lehman, P. (Ed.). (2006). Pornography: film and culture. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. McLachlan, J. A. (2009). The right choice, making ethical decisions on the job. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Pearson Education Canada. Pornography. (2013). In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved Feb 27, 2013, from http://www.mer riamwebster.com/dictionary/pornography Pornography History. (2010). Retrieved February 26, 2013 From http://www.pornographyhisto ry.com/ Wagner, P. (1991). Erotica and the enlightenment. Frankfurt, Germany: Peter Lang Publishing Group.