Essay Sample on Pre-Marital Sex: An Ethical Dilemma in Contemporary Society

Introduction

Instances of an ethical dilemma have become a common menace in contemporary society. The paper picks on premarital sex and discusses how it has become a typical instance of an ethical dilemma. The phenomenon entails a sexual activity that is performed by people before marriage. Historically, sex before marriage was considered a moral issue or a taboo and regarded as a sin by several religions. However, according to Mullen, Morris, and Lord (2017), the proposition and justification for restricting premarital sex differ, sometimes significantly, from society to society. Thus, premarital sex among the youth was viewed as acceptable with little principles of morality attached. However, the decision-maker is faced with two or more choice situations that they have to consider. Neither of the choices will fundamentally satisfy the dictates of morality.

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For instance, an individual can find himself or put herself in various kinds of moral situations without being able to create a distinction between what is morally right and wrong.

Crucial features of a moral dilemma, as outlined by Mullen, Morris, and Lord (2017), occur when an individual is required to undertake any two or more actions. The individual can be capable of doing any of the work but not both or all of the activities. Thus, the individual will disregard at least one crucial moral action, regardless of the decision.

Another example is the case of Kate and John, who are in love. They are both young couples, and so, they do not know much about the societal expectations of the married couples and the underlying norms. Kate is a staunch catholic who believes that sex before marriage is a sin before God and the society. She feels obliged to the societal and religious norms, thus, she has to follow them. John, on the other hand, is a Christian who believes the scriptures and the Christian perspective on premarital sex are outdated and archaic. Both Kate and John's opposing viewpoints on sexual morality have created a rift in their relationship with John, always demanding sex. The situation forced Kate to question the convictions about her faith and the doctrines against premarital sex.

Also, she asks her love for John and her desire to keep their relationship. The scenario describes a situation when young people are frustrated by shifting social morals. Kate faces a dilemma of standing by her faith and keeping her relationship by giving in to the demands of John. In this case, Kate is confronted with conflicting ideas that are equally complicated, but each has a degree of importance. The victim has moral obligations of deciding on what is right both to her and to the community since every society has set norms that guide their daily activities. The situation forms a typical ethical dilemma since the ultimate option should fulfill both the sides expectations and in equal measures.

In this regard, the theme of pluralism concedes that Kate, a decision-maker when faced with competing options, can decide to weigh different viewpoints before making a decision. Pluralists believe that there is no single philosophical approach that bears all answers from a specific choice (Vincent & Koessler, 2019). Therefore, pluralism urges tolerance of others' moral principles without concluding that all views are equally valid (Vincent & Koessler, 2019). Kate can as well choose a different approach to her dilemma by basing her ultimate choice on the nature of duty and obligation.

On the other hand, the theme of absolutism demands that Kate should be submissive to John. Both of the opposing situations have moral principles that people ought to follow universally. A single catholic is expected to abstain from sex until marriage, while on the flip side, the society expects Kate to be submissive to John and accept his advances for they are couples. Absolutism asserts that there are certain universal moral principles by which all peoples' actions may be judged (Vecina, Chacon & Perez-Viejo, 2016). The approach presents an open ground for intense contestations about which moral principles are right and which ones are wrong. In reality, the dictates of morality and its acceptance vary from one culture, community, state, and country. People hold different beliefs that are unique and appropriate to their particular way of life, and this contributes immensely to the understanding of morality (Vecina, Chacon & Perez-Viejo, 2016). Kate's different choices in a moral dilemma situation, not one of her options, can satisfy the dynamic principles of morality. Hence, Kate is condemned to moral failure, no matter what decision she makes. She will eventually do something wrong or fail to do what she ought to do. Thus, it means that she will violate at least one equally crucial moral concern, regardless of the decision she makes.

On balance, regardless of the underlying inconsistencies between the theory of pluralism and absolutism, they are both applicable in solving various instances of an ethical dilemma. The aspect of open-mindedness when approaching issues of morality as absolutism demands is a core necessity in solving multiple cases of a moral, ethical dilemma. Similarly, the advancement that pluralism puts on the idea of a universal set of morals directs people on their moral obligations in every society. Moral dilemmas like the pre-marital sex dilemmas are common issues in the community that require a comprehensive approach so that individuals can stay out of distress and various instances of depression.

References

Mullen, P. R., Morris, C., & Lord, M. (2017). The experience of ethical dilemmas, burnout, and stress among practicing counselors. Counseling and Values, 62(1), 37-56. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/

Vecina, M. L., Chacon, F., & Perez-Viejo, J. M. (2016). Moral absolutism, self-deception, and moral self-concept in men who commit intimate partner violence: A comparative study with an opposite sample. Violence against women, 22(1), 3-16. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/

Vincent, M., & Koessler, A. K. (2019). Moral Pluralism in Behavioural Spillovers: Across-Disciplinary Account of the Multiple Ways in Which We Engage in Moral Valuing. Environmental Values. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?