The Argument from Disgust
David Carlin FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020 Many decades ago, when I was a young philosophy professor at a Catholic women’s college (which has long since gone out of existence), I would sometimes ask, in order …More
David Carlin
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020
Many decades ago, when I was a young philosophy professor at a Catholic women’s college (which has long since gone out of existence), I would sometimes ask, in order to stimulate a class discussion, “What’s wrong with homosexuality?” In asking the question, I had in mind – and the students knew I had in mind – homosexual conduct, not simply a homosexual orientation. In those long-ago days, it was not necessary to make that somewhat pedantic distinction.
The prompt answer from the students was always the same: “It’s disgusting.” That pretty much ended the class discussion. If I tried to prolong the discussion by asking, “But why is it disgusting,” the answer would be, “It just is,” or “Isn’t it obvious?”
I’m no longer teaching. I retired two years ago after a very long career. But if I were to go into a college classroom today and ask that question I’d be told, “Don’t be silly. There is nothing wrong with homosexuality.”
Suppose I attempted to prolong …More
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020
Many decades ago, when I was a young philosophy professor at a Catholic women’s college (which has long since gone out of existence), I would sometimes ask, in order to stimulate a class discussion, “What’s wrong with homosexuality?” In asking the question, I had in mind – and the students knew I had in mind – homosexual conduct, not simply a homosexual orientation. In those long-ago days, it was not necessary to make that somewhat pedantic distinction.
The prompt answer from the students was always the same: “It’s disgusting.” That pretty much ended the class discussion. If I tried to prolong the discussion by asking, “But why is it disgusting,” the answer would be, “It just is,” or “Isn’t it obvious?”
I’m no longer teaching. I retired two years ago after a very long career. But if I were to go into a college classroom today and ask that question I’d be told, “Don’t be silly. There is nothing wrong with homosexuality.”
Suppose I attempted to prolong …More
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