by Jason Stotts
I want to welcome anyone I met at CatalystCon over the weekend to my blog. I hope you find it interesting. I would start by checking out my best posts of the past couple of years. Also, feel free to reach out to me! I would love to hear from you.
10. On Homophobia
Is homophobia a fear of gays? I think not.
9. Erosophia Podcast #4: Circumcision
In this podcast, we argue that genital mutilation, no matter how euphemistically termed, is immoral and should be illegal to be done to minors. Why? Take a listen.
I usually try to answer when you, dear readers, write me. Sometimes those answers would be interesting to lots of people and sometimes I share these. This is a cast of that.
7. Erosophia Podcast #14: Interview with Dr. Darrel Ray on How Religion Distorts Sexuality
The Erosophia Podcast interviewed the very interesting Dr. Darrel Ray on religion and sexuality. I think it’s our best podcast yet!
6. The Forgotten Victims of Gun Control
In all of the debates about gun control, let’s not forget that women are the most hurt when access to guns is restricted.
5. Polysexuality and Cultural Acceptability
Polysexuality will never be socially acceptable while being ashamed of it and hiding in the closet.
Moral and practical questions to ask yourself if you’re seriously considering having a threesome.
Sometimes not knowing is a morally permissible error of ignorance. Sometimes errors of ignorance are immoral. With so much information available about sex today, is your ignorance about sex moral or immoral?
There are good reasons and bad reasons to keep sex private; but, being completely “private” about sex to the point where you won’t talk to anyone about it can be immoral. Not only that, the world would be a better and more authentic place if we were all more open about sex and sexuality.
1. The Fountainhead’s ‘Rape Scene’: a Case Study of Consensual Non-Consent
The Fountainhead’s “rape scene” is not, in context, a scene of rape at all. One might even say that Roark could have been given no clearer invitation. Further, i argue that we can understand what this kind of thing might look like in the real world through the idea of consensual non-consent.
10. On Guns
If you value your life, you have a moral obligation to defend it.
9. Aporia: Sexual Orientation and Aporia: Sexual Identity
This set of two Aporias, complicated problems without clear answers, deal with sexual orientation and sexual identity and in them I seek to tease out the nature of each, including perhaps new ways to think about each.
8. Cis and Trans: Untangling Confusion
Here I discuss the concept of “cis-sexuality” and why it’s an epistemological abomination. I also discuss transsexuality, its origins, and whether it is moral.
7. Rape and the Magical Female Body
If one needs any clearer idea of the ignorance and insanity that is religion, one needs only to look to the christian beliefs about the way reproduction works. If the Republicans ever want to get back in office, they need to stop attacking women.
6. Aporia: Is Physical Beauty Itself a Value?
In this Aporia, I try to answer the question of whether physical beauty itself can justify sexual activity.
Are you one of those people who think Valentine’s Day is merely a “Hallmark Holiday”? If so, you could be hurting your relationship. We should not forgo opportunities to remind our partners that they are a value to us and that we’re happy to have them in our lives.
If we really want to win the world, we must give people something positive to believe in.
3. “Contra Peikoff on Rape“, “Follow-Up to Contra Peikoff on Rape“, and “Conclusion to Contra Peikoff on Rape?“
In February Leonard Peikoff openly advocated rape. There was an ensuing brouhaha after I forcibly objected to this (I wasn’t the only one) and Peikoff eventually issued a partial retraction of his claims, although he ended up still maintaining that raping a woman can be moral in certain circumstances. This set of essays chronicles the problem, my response, Peikoff’s follow up, and my final statements.
2. On Purpose
I’ve been struggling for a while with the question of how to find a career about which you can be passionate. So, in this essay I attempt to look at the issue philosophical and I realize some surprising things.
What is pedophilia? Is it sex between adults and teenagers? Can it be between children? Is it moral or immoral? In this essay I provide an analysis of the nature of pedophilia (it’s more complicated than you might think) and an explanation of why it’s immoral.
10. Letters From Readers (First, Second)
I love getting mail from my readers, especially when that mail is them telling me that I’ve made their lives better in some way. It makes a big difference to me and helps to keep me motivated to keep writing. These are two of the more poignant letters from last year.
9. Love Without Sexual Attraction
While it’s possible to fall in love with someone who you are not sexually attracted to, this is ultimately a very bad idea and such a person would be better as a friend than a lover.
Our society should not be punishing teens for being sexual.
7. Sex Tips #7: Communication is Key
One of the most important skills you can possibly have in a relationship is communication.
STI’s are medical issues, not moral issues.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz doesn’t understand what’s happening in the economy.
4. Formspring: When is Sex Appropriate?
When should you start engaging in sex with a new partner?
3. Getting Started with Male Anal Sexuality
Advice for a couple who is looking to start with male anal sexuality.
2. The Importance of Sexual Satisfaction
This post is not for everyone. But, for those who have ever been in the trap it presents, it will be a breath of fresh air and a way out.
1. Compersion
Deriving pleasure from your partner’s pleasure is called “compersion” and it is absolutely critical to successfully engaging in a polysexual or polyamorous lifestyle.
10. “The Tow”
This is the first story I ever wrote and I think it’s pretty decent. It’s not going to win any literary awards, but it does show that if I practice, I can do fiction as well as philosophy.
9. On Male Orgasm and Prostate Play
In this essay, I discuss the nature of the male orgasm, it’s connection to the prostate, and prostate stimulation. If you’ve never tried prostate stimulation yourself or with your partner, you should give it a read.
8. Peter Singer Loves Animals (Too Much)
In this essay, I explore the claim of philosopher Peter Singer that bestiality can be moral. I conclude, after a thorough analysis, that it is not. Read the essay to find out why.
In this essay I take Leonard Peikoff to task for his hasty and shallow analysis of the morality of swinging.
6. Swinging: A Different Perspective
In this essay I look at one reason why people choose to engage in swinging and one possible value it can have for their relationship.
In this essay, I look at the phenomenon of people who need alcohol to be sexual and the cultural ties between sex and alcohol.
In this essay, I look at the idea of loving more than one person at once and whether this is possible or practical.
3. Reflections on American Values on Memorial Day
This is a tribute to my late maternal grandparents and a look the irony of older generations fighting against statism, then having their descendants vote it in.
2. Formspring Question: Changing Sexual Orientation
In this essay I answer a question from a reader about changing sexual orientation. I also give a close analysis of the idea of sexual orientation and whether it’s useful as a concept.
1. On Polysexuality
This is one of my favorite essays I’ve ever written and I’m proud to put it at the number one spot. Even though it’s only really a polished second draft, I think it will be the foundations of a new moral acceptance of polysexuality (non-monogamy) and I think it ushers in a more philosophical approach to some hard issues. [A revised version of this essay was published in 2013]
10. On Marijuana
In this essay I develop the position that while marijuana should be legal, I think it is immoral. I also analyze the role that religion has placed in the suppression of drugs.
In this essay I discuss the nature of bisexuality and argue that bisexuality is much more common than many people believe. Furthermore, I argue that bisexuality is natural and should not be thought of as a transitional state between heterosexuality and homosexuality.
8. Religion Kills Over Sex Again
This essay analyzes the religious hatred of sex and the harm it does, especially to teenagers as sexting becomes more prevalent.
7. Objectivism, Masculinity, Femininity, and Homosexuality: Initial Thoughts
This essay was adapted from my speech “Objectivism and Sexuality” that I delivered to the Ohio Objectivist Society in July. I argue that Ayn Rand’s misidentification of the sexual essences (masculinity and femininity) is what led her to condemn homosexuality and that through a proper identification of the essences, we can reconcile homosexuality and Objectivism.
This essay one of my favorite and most important essays I wrote last year, mostly because it was the first time I identified the phenomenon that I call “fundamental psychological needs” and their connection to the beliefs that people hold. I plan on developing this theory in to a more robust version that will likely appear in my book.
This summer I moved to California and had my first chance ever to go to a nude beach. It was one of the best experiences of my life so far and I can hardly recommend it enough.
This essay is a follow up to my immensely popular essay “On Pegging” (see below) and deals with the idea of “gender play” through pegging.
3. The Christians Are Burning Witches (Again)
The rise of christianity in Africa, blending with their indigenous mysticism, has led to widespread persecution of witches and other demonic activity. Yes, in 2009 christians are still burning witches.
2. On Pegging
The most popular essay I’ve written so far, “On Pegging” is a philosophical investigation of pegging (female on male strap-on sex). In it, I discuss the nature of pegging, the philosophical implications for sexual orientation and the sexual essences, and how to successfully engage in pegging. If you don’t read any other essays on this list, read this one.
1. What Causes Sexual Attraction
A revised edition of an earlier essay I wrote on the nature of sexual attraction. This was one of the first essays I attempted in sexual theory and the subject is one of my major interests. In it, I develop the thesis that it is our value judgments that underlie sexual attraction and that, consequently, we can understand sexual attraction in terms of these antecedent value judgements. The more robust and fully developed version of this theory is integral to my book and my overall understanding of sexuality. It is definitely one of my favorite essays that I’ve ever written.