Ethics paper

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Humanities

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Type a 5–7 page (1500-2000 word) paper on one of the following questions. Be sure to answer what the question asks and include bibliographical materials. Make your paper as clear, succinct and accurate as possible and proofread! Try to defend your reading and your own views with cogent explanations and arguments. Spend at least one page explaining your own position.

Topic......

While the U.S. Supreme Court has decided in favor of it, same-sex marriage continues to be controversial in this country. Analyze Robert George’s criticisms of legalizing same sex marriage, as well as Angela Bolte’s defense of societal legal recognition of same-sex marriage. In your discussion, note when natural law arguments, utilitarian arguments or human rights are the main justification. Do any pros or cons remain unexplained by George or Bolte? Where do you stand in this public debate, and why? (The George and Bolte articles are available in the link to this assignment.)

Book Used in class.....

Nina Rosenstand, The Moral of the Story. 7th ed. (McGraw Hill, 2012)

Also I attaches the link


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Explanation & Answer

Attached.

Debate about Same-Sex Marriage: The analysis of Angela Bolte and Robert George’s articles –
Outline
Thesis statement: Robert George in his article “Same-sex Marriage and Moral
Neutrality” argues that the states and laws should not be morally neutral concerning the issue.
Angela Bolte on the other hand, supports same-sex marriage in her article titled “Do wedding
dresses come in lavender? The prospects and implications of same-sex marriage”. Both articles
are inadequate in accomplishing their purposes as they leave out several issues that should be
considered when advising the public to take sides considering the issue.
I.
II.

Introduction
Summaries of articles
A. Angela Bolte
B. Robert George

III.

Human Rights Theory
A. Freedom and autonomy
B. Other rights

IV.

Natural Law
A. Nature and sexuality
B. Natural nature and same-sex intercourse

V.
VI.

Utilitarian theory
Conclusion


Running head: DEBATE ABOUT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Debate about Same-Sex Marriage: The analysis of Angela Bolte and Robert George’s articles
Name
Institution

1

DEBATE ABOUT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

2

Debate about Same-Sex Marriage: The analysis of Angela Bolte and Robert George’s articles
Introduction
Same-sex marriage has become a controversial topic of discussion ever since the
Supreme Court in its favor. The center of contention has been the morality of the kind of
marriage as well as the obedience of human rights. For the reason, people in favor of same-sex
marriage have tried to argue their points to change the societal understanding and view of the
issue, just as much as those in opposition to the type of union have tried to retain the status quo.
As a result of the extensive nature of the topic, and the availability of rationale supporting each
of the opposing points of view, further discussions of the issue have only managed to make the
debate more intense. Two such individuals who have published work to present their arguments
and therefore support their side of the issue are Angela Bolte as well as Robert George. Robert
George in his article “Same-sex Marriage and Moral Neutrality” argues that the states and laws
should not be morally neutral concerning the issue. Angela Bolte on the other hand, supports
same-sex marriage in her article titled “Do wedding dresses come in lavender? The prospects and
implications of same-sex marriage.” Both articles are inadequate in accomplishing their purposes
as they leave out several issues that should be considered when advising the public to take sides
considering the issue.
Summaries of Articles
Angela Bolte
According to Angela Bolte article, same-sex marriages should be accepted by the society
based on the idea that even though allowing the type of marriage will inevitably result to change
in the institutions of marriage; it will not necessarily diminish the institutions. The author tries to

DEBATE ABOUT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

3

validate her point based on six primary arguments. First, she says that the commonly accepted
definition of marriage is ambiguous as it does not make it clear what marriage is.As a result,
opponents use the division of the institution as a reason to oppose same-sex marriage. Second,
the author argues that even though defining marriage is hard, the features of marriage allow for
same-sex marriage to be acceptable. Bolte argues that the traditional arguments against same-sex
marriage are ill-founded and biased. Fourth, the author argues against the ideas of Claudia Card
concerning same-sex marriage and finally refutes claims by Claudia Card that domestic
partnerships can be a good alternative for homosexual partners as compared to marriage (Bolte,
1998).
Robert George
Robert George, on the other hand, argues that states should not take a neutral stand
concerning the issues of same-sex marriage. The author makes his argument based on several
sub-points. First, the author argues that states should not be neutral in matters concerning samesex marriage, as even though laws are supposed to be politically neutral, morality is not in itself
neutral. The author goes ahead to argue that same-sex marriages are unreasonable because nature
demands that copulation is between a man and a woman. However, he submits that it is not
correct to formulate laws based on the idea that marriage is exclusively heterosexual and
monogamous (George, 2000).
Both Angela Bolte and Robert George fail to be convincing because they do not
adequately include natural law, human right theories as well as utilitarian ideologies. I fact, even
though both of the authors seem to be arguing based on the two theories, none of them
effectively supports their ideas. Bolte almost exclusively depends on the human right to support
her argument while challenging the natural law theory and the utilitarian ideas concerning same-

DEBATE ABOUT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

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sex marriage. George, on the other hand, uses the latter approaches while not paying much
attention to the human right factor.
Human Rights Theory
...


Anonymous
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