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Philosophy in the Community

Philosophy in the Community: Is Chatting Cheating?

What are the aspects of sex that make cheating or adultery morally problematic?

Event

Philosophy in the Community
a free lecture and discussion series

Is Chatting Cheating?
by Sarah Hoffman
Professor, Department of Philosophy,
University of Saskatchewan

Friday, Sept. 8, 7:00 p.m.
The Refinery (basement of Emanuel Anglican Church)
609 Dufferin Ave at 12th St. | All are welcome

Rather than facilitating a new way to have sex online, John Portmann aruges that erotic chat rooms simply allow for a new way to talk about sex. Chatting, according to Portmann, is thus not cheating. This raises interesting questions about the nature of sexual and romantic fidelity as well as the metaphysics of sex itself. What are the aspects of sex that make cheating or adultery morally problematic? Even if sex chatting has more in common with flirting than sexual intercourse, are these parallels enough to conclude that sex chatting outside of marriage is really no more morally objectionable than flirting?


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