Sexual Interactions and Sexual Infidelity

The Journal of Ethics 25 (4):449-466 (2021)
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Abstract

This paper establishes what constitutes a sexual interaction between two or more people. It does this by first defining a sexual activity as one in which the agent intends to satisfy a sexual desire. To understand what it means to engage in a sexual activity with another person, it draws from Bratman’s account of shared collaborative activity. A sexual interaction is defined as one in which two or more people engage in a sexual activity together, with the intention of satisfying a sexual desire in a mutually responsive and mutually supportive way. The paper then uses this account to consider what things constitute sexual infidelity. The answer is a broad one: many things can count as sexual interactions and hence can be considered to be sexual infidelity. Contrary to what a lot of people think, this can include the private use of pornography.

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Paddy McQueen
Swansea University

Citations of this work

The Ethics of Love.Alfred Archer - 2021 - The Journal of Ethics 25 (4):423-427.

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References found in this work

Shared cooperative activity.Michael E. Bratman - 1992 - Philosophical Review 101 (2):327-341.
Sexual perversion.Thomas Nagel - 1969 - Journal of Philosophy 66 (1):5-17.
Plain sex.Alan Goldman - 1977 - Philosophy and Public Affairs 6 (3):267-287.
Sexual paradigms.Robert C. Solomon - 1974 - Journal of Philosophy 71 (11):336-345.

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