Introduction
The examination of porn as a societal phenomenon requiring proper attitude, which can be gained through the increase in people’s awareness, is a new field. However, it can significantly benefit from the inclusion of other scholars’ thoughts on the subjects related to the population’s well-being. Thus, for example, the Natural Law Theory developed by John Locke and the article “Why Marriage Is Good For You” written by Maggie Gallagher can help analyze the topic. Therefore, the use of these two approaches for comparing them with the article “Interview With a Philosopher: A Class on Porn” will be advantageous for understanding the latter’s trends.
Natural Law Theory
The first aspect of Natural Law Theory correlating with the ideas of Jacob M. Held, Assistant Professor at The University of Central Arkansas, is the natural freedom of all men. According to Locke, this concept implies one’s capability and right to make independent decisions with regard to their effects on others. In turn, Held’s stance confirms the suitability of this principle to the task of examining porn because it implies the direct influence on people. It also means the need to balance between the ability to decide whether to watch it or not and the awareness regarding the subject. Since fair treatment is the key to prosperity, this condition undermines the ethical foundation of this phenomenon.
Another aspect of Locke’s thought consistent with the argument presented by Held is the requirement to avoid adverse outcomes deriving from one’s exercise of freedom. The former states that a person does not have the liberty to destroy themselves or any creature in their possession. Meanwhile, the uncontrolled use of porn videos indicates the inevitable harm to people participating in their creation. From this perspective, the case is not another example of personal freedom in action but a direct violation of human rights. The attention to this principle might affect one’s desire to watch porn and, consequently, allow them to gain a better understanding of this societal trend.
Why Marriage Is Good for You
One of the major points from Gallagher’s article correlating with Held’s views is safety ensured by healthy relationships. Thus, the former claims that marriage minimizes the risks of becoming victims of violence. These results are achieved by excluding other factors, such as education or race, from the equation. The conclusion of Held on the impact of porn on people’s well-being corresponds to this stance because the scholar draws a connection between unbiased perceptions of this phenomenon and the human condition. In this way, both ideas are intertwined in terms of the need for knowledge to help avoid mistakes.
Thoughts on the Study
The comparison of the above stances of Locke and Gallagher with the ideas of Professor Held revealed the uniformity of societal trends. It became clear that they are guided by human nature alongside people’s actions stemming from the degree of their awareness. From this point of view, the examination of porn is subject to the theory applicable to any other topic within the scope of social sciences. Nevertheless, the question remains: how can the ideas of intrinsic qualities and deeds deriving from them be combined for finding an efficient method to inform citizens regarding the risks of porn?
Conclusion
To summarize, the examination of porn correlates with the Natural Law Theory of John Locke concerning freedom and its ethical limitations. It also corresponds to the ideas of healthy relationships promoting safety described by Gallagher. Thus, the use of various approaches for contrasting the problems was beneficial for understanding the mechanism of their action while the coping techniques are still to be developed in the future.