Thursday, October 25, 2018

Philosophy 101 - Essay Block 11, 12, 13


Chapter 11 – The Universalist: Immanuel Kant

Immanuel Kant: “I have therefore found it necessary to deny knowledge in order to make room for faith.” (page 315)
This quote sticks out to me because I have never found this to be true, although I can see the logic in it.  Sometimes, in order to be people of faith, we have to ignore things in the archaeological record to further our belief in the Bible.  I have not found this to be the case with my own religion (Judaism), because there are definite places where Jewish theology makes room for science and where science makes room for theology, but I know a bunch of Christians who forsake science for their literal translation of The Bible.  It really doesn’t surprise me that Kant would also hold this view. 

Theodor Adorno: “(T)he demand for intellectual honesty is itself dishonest… Rather, knowledge comes to us through a network of prejudices, opinions, innervations, self-corrections, presuppositions and exaggerations.” (page 317)
This quote stands out to me because it basically says that humanity is flawed in their intellectual discourse, that because we always approach it with our own biases and opinions, we can never fully understand intellectual honesty, because we are never without our predispositions on the matter. In order to demand intellectual honesty in others, we much first understand that we are not inherently intellectually honest ourselves. Being honest about our biases will help us create intellectual honesty in others. In order to attain new knowledge, we must confront our biases, to be able to change our own biases and predisposed notions of what is and is not honest.

G. E. Moore: “If I am asked ‘What is good?’ my answer is that good is good and that is the end of the matter. Or if I am asked ‘How is good to be defined?’ my answer is that it cannot be defined and that is all I have to say about it.” (page 322)
I like this quote because it sounds like circular reasoning.  Like most topics in philosophy, this quote assumes that the philosopher has intellectual biases (see quote above), so when asked what is good, one must know that the true answer is that good is good.  Obviously, bad is not good.  Only good is good.  Asking further, “how can good be defined” one is again assuming that there is a notion about what is and isn’t good, a perspective that is only shared by the person asking the question, completely different from the perspective of the questioned.

Chapter 12 – The Utilitarian: John Stewart Mill

Jeremy Bentham: “I would have the dearest friend I have to know that his interests, if they come in competition with those of the public, are as nothing to me. I would serve my friends – thus I would be served by them.” (page 341)
With this quote, Bentham is stating that the public good is more important than the singular interests of his friend and that by telling his friend that the public good is more important, he is a better friend than the one who would serve the selfish notions of the friend. In Star Trek, Spock was the recipient of the opposite form of this message, when Kirk and team went forth to rescue him from the planet Genesis, after finding out that he had been regenerated.  Spock makes discourse to Amanda Greyson on planet Vulcan after he is rescued and his Katra is back within him.  However, while Kirk determined that the needs of the few (Spock) outweighed the needs of the few (Spock), it is necessary to state that in general matters, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. 

John Stuart Mill: “Few, but those whose mind is a moral blank, could bear to lay out their course of life on the plan of paying no regard to others except so far as their own private interest compels.” (page 346)
What this quote says to me is that if the private person’s interests are aligned with the common good, they will do as the common good dictates.  But when their own interests do not align with the common good, they’re more inclined to follow their yetzer hara (“Evil inclination” in Hebrew) than the well intentioned common good. I don’t know that I buy that people on a social class level are inherently selfish, but I agree that on a person by person basis, people are selfish.  Maslow’s hierarchy of needs state that when a person has met all of their selfish, base needs, they will then follow in line socially, but meeting those selfish needs can and does occur prior to meeting the needs of the common good.

Sarah Conly: “The truth is that we don’t reason very well, and in many cases there is no justification for leaving us to struggle with out own inabilities and to suffer the consequences.” (page 359)
I agree that on a whole, people are not very logical, rational creatures.  I also agree that it’s rather illogical to let us suffer the ill effects from not being logical and rationally driven as a species.  We come with emotions, sometimes very BIG emotions, and many psychologists and philosophers alike have tried to figure out why people can’t just run on logic all the time.  If we could, perhaps we would live in a utopia where there was no war, no hunger, or homelessness.  But as it stands now, when we try to feed our own selfish desires, we suffer social consequences. 

Chapter 13 – The Materialist: Karl Marx

Albert Camus: “The society of money and exploitation has never been charged, so far as I know, with assuring the triumph of freedom and justice.” (page 371)
Basically rephrased: “Money makes the world go ‘round.” This quote is so incredibly present in our day and time because until we are free of greed, we will never see true freedom or justice.  While we have seen many fictional ways in which an economy can work without currency and greed as we know it, until the top 1% stops grabbing for as much wealth as they can legally hoard in a lifetime, we will never know true justice or freedom.  We will never see upper middle-class white boys actually tried for rape and get actual prison sentences because their families can afford to bribe lady justice.  

Friedrich Engels: “The state is not abolished, it withers away.” (page 372)
The state should, in theory, be made up of a populace whose trajectory is to allow all of its citizens to prosper, which dictates that people are helpful and selfless to one another, which (as we have seen in previous quotes) just isn’t true in modernity. But if the state cannot follow through on its commitments, it is slowly corrupted and eventually withers into nothingness.  It doesn’t have a standard start and end by which a new economy rises up and replaces it abruptly.  The current model just slowly dies off as the people who become the state are themselves corrupted and wither away. 

Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto: “All previous historical movements were movements of minorities, or in the interest of minorities. The proletarian movement is the self-conscious, independent movement of the immense majority, in the interest of the immense majority.” (page 381)
If we take a page from American social movements, we notice that a lot of the movements were based on the minorities rising up and declaring themselves worthy of equal protection under the law.  But Marxism, as described in the Communist Manifesto, wants to defend the social majority as the ones needing protection the most.  In Soviet Russia (where my husband and his family are from) there was a push for real Communism in the beginning before Stalin took over and declared it based on one man rule.  However, we see the protections for the social majority in Soviet Russia, rather than the protections of the minorities from majority rule (which is what we have here in America). 


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Grade: 9/10 (it was late because I had the flu)
Professor Comments: None

Friday, October 12, 2018

Psychology 277 - Midterm Exam


Midterm Exam Questions
PSY 277
Fall 2018

The following questions are representative of Chapters 5-8. Remember to cite the text in the body of your response (per APA), and use quotes and introductory phrasing to set up your quotes. You will also cite the outside sources, for question 1, concerning a topic that really has been around for decades.
Note: After you cite the author(s) once, use (p. 234) there after – there is no need for redundancy in writing. (e.g. citing authors, date of publication, and page over-and-over again).  Research on question 1 will reflect the interviewer by name, and page to the interview.

11.       Sexual Fluidity is a concept most used in relation to Miley Cyrus, along with the concept of “pansexual” that was used in an interview (2015). Read the interview she gave to Paper magazine and elaborate on her comments. (Little discovery learning here). Ms. Cyrus seems to have embraced her sexuality, and how she is defined. The question arises, “Have you embraced your sexuality, or are you still exploring your sexual orientation? (Research these two concepts, sexual fluidity and pansexual to formulate your answer. (8 points).

Miley Cyrus stated in her interview with Paper Magazine, “I don't relate to being boy or girl, and I don't have to have my partner relate to boy or girl.”  (Petrusich, 2015, page 6) I can agree with this statement.  While my identity is more stable as female than fluid, my sexuality, like Miley’s, is, “I’m down with any adult – anyone over the age of 18 who is down to love me.” I don’t consider myself pansexual; I consider myself to be openly bisexual and I shy away from the term “pansexual” because I face enough stigma as an openly bisexual woman.  Though I probably am more pansexual than bisexual, as I have met trans people that I find sexually attractive, but I have never pursued it beyond finding them sexually attractive.  In most respects, I probably am Pansexual.  However, there is enough of a stigma in the LGBTQ+ community for bisexuals, and being a vocal advocate, I prefer to stand with the Bisexual flag because it’s so heavily disregarded in both the gay world and the straight world.

Like Miley, I came out to my family when I was 14. (p. 6) It was never an issue in my family.  I liked boys and I liked girls, and that was totally normal for my family.  As I got older, I started to realize that I tended to like girls more than boys when it came to sex, but I preferred relationships with men far more than women (this is called “heteroromantic”).  I also very strongly identify as female, lacking the gender fluidity of Ms. Cyrus.  I feel that how one dresses or presents is an individual choice, and one that every person has a right to decide for themselves.  I wear jeans.  I swear like a sailor.  I tend to have masculine behaviors and dressing styles at times (though I’m from the Pacific Northwest, home to hoodies and gender neutral clothing).  But I am also very female and very strong in my identity as a woman.  I have friends who are nonbinary and I love them dearly.  Their struggles are very real and very challenging.  Because of my love for them and my compassion for their struggle in the world, I could never claim to be nonbinary (which is really just another name for Gender Fluidity).  I am a loud and proud bisexual woman.

22.       In Seidman, it is Foucault who advocates “a politics against sexuality – against sexualizing selves, identities, and acts (Seidman, 2015, p. 34). Moreover, he goes on to say the “if society did not assign a moral meaning (moral or abnormal), to adult, consensual sexual desires and behaviors, individuals would be subject to considerably less social regulation” (p. 34). Using the examples given in the text and your own views of the political forces that act on our sexual conduct, at least for some, however, the past history of some in the news, and those political figures, who have a less than stellar account of their sexual history, reflects on either a failure of human decency, or that the female body (an object) is nothing more than something for certain men to possess, either by using their power to who they are in the context of being privileged.

Thus, (1) do you agree with Foucault’s analysis? And (2) If Judge Kavanaugh is voted on and wins a majority of votes for SCOTUS, what does this say about past behavior and should he be accountable, and denied his place on the highest court of our country? Use your own experience, observations, or views on the subject, to Seidman’s reference to Foucault, to answer question 2, and the text and Seidman, to answer question 1. (8 points)

Foucault’s assumption that “if society did not assign a moral meaning (moral or abnormal), to adult, consensual sexual desires and behaviors, individuals would be subject to considerably less social regulation” (Seidman, 2015, p. 34) is completely correct in my own personal view.  The sheer fact that we have to legitimize consensual sexual relations with legislation aimed at protecting rights of the non-heterosexual population should further this idea.  Society as we know it has been puritan and heteronormative for so long that we now have to legislate what should be common sense.  Let consenting adults do what they want. 

As of this writing, Kavanaugh has been confirmed as a justice for SCOTUS.  For me, this only serves to prove that if you are a white, heterosexual man, you can basically do anything you want to anyone of a lesser privileged class (be that female, people of color, non-heterosexual or nonbinary) without it affecting your life in a meaningful way at all.  Kavanaugh wailed about how the accusations of Dr. Blasey Ford had completely damaged his life, yet there were absolutely no consequences for his actions.  He faced no jury, there was no trial, the grand jury (who “would indict a ham sandwich”) passed down no indictment, and the scope of the FBI investigations was so limited that he was protected from the multiple accusations.  I genuinely believe he doesn’t remember assaulting Dr. Blasey Ford.  But that doesn’t excuse him from being an assailant.  As a victim myself, with an assailant who admitted fault, I have seen that there is no justice when you are assaulted by a white heterosexual man in America.  We’re all out to “damage that good boy’s reputation” (as my mother said when I told her that I was raped) and none of us are ever taken seriously when we are assaulted by a white, heterosexual man.   All that matters is that HE is okay.  Not that his victims are okay.  It’s disgusting.


33.       Identify the three stereotypes attributed to females and males in our culture. Elaborate on each by identifying with anyone of two stereotypes (or not) as a female/male. (5 points)

Women are seen as emotional and hormonal (i.e. Serena Williams), while men in the same situation are seen as passionate and driven (John McEnroe).  Women in positions of power are seen as frigid ice queens (Anna Wintour) while men in the same position are focused, strong leaders (Donald Trump).  Women are seen as weak and illogical, while men are seen as strong and logical. 


44.       Which of the following perspectives on sex typing focuses on the importance of social experience and observational learning? (5 points)

One of the main types of sex typing is that women are more maternal (thus being better homemakers) and men are more suited for the office. Children learn this from an early age when boys prefer to play with trucks and girls prefer to play with baby dolls. Female children are encouraged to take care of baby dolls while boys who express interest in dolls are shunned as not being male enough.  They are constantly told that homemaking and child rearing are “women’s work” while girls are generally discouraged from the traditionally male STEM fields. Girls are reared learning how to care for younger siblings and do chores, while boys are expected to be more rough and tumble than girls.  There is some evidence in Evolutionary Psychology that this is the natural order of things. (Rathus, Nevid, & Fichner-Rathus, 2014, p. 129) However, these are gender roles that society further encourages in children.  (p. 132)



Multiple Choice and Other Type of Questions:

5. The term that describes the direction of one’s romantic interests and erotic attractions is __________.
A) homosexual
B) heterosexual
C) sexual orientation
D) sexual behavior

6. A Gallup Poll in 2012 found which age group most likely to identify themselves as homosexual?
A) 18–29 year olds
B) 30–49 year olds
C) 50–64 year olds
D) 65 year olds and older

7. Which of the following statements is true?
A) Bisexuality is a “cover” for gay males or lesbians.
B) Many bisexuals have a stronger attraction to people of one sex than another.
C) Bisexuals are equally attracted to people of both sexes.
D) None of the above statements are true.

8. Which of the following early societies was the most tolerant of male–male sexual behaviors?
A) Early Christians after the fall of Rome
B) Florence during the Renaissance
C) Ancient Greece
D) All of the above were highly intolerant of male–male sexual behaviors.

9. Homosexuality in   __________ culture is seen as a rejection of traditional cultural roles and a threat to the continuity of the family line.
A) African American
B) Latino and Latina American
C) Asian American
D) Native American

10. Researchers have found evidence linking a region on  __________ to a gay male sexual orientation.
A) the X sex chromosome
B) the Y sex chromosome
C) both the X and Y sex chromosomes
D) neither the X nor Y sex chromosomes


11. Research from Sweden reports evidence that gender identity and sexual orientation can develop __________.
A) prior to conception.
B) during the intrauterine period.
C) during the birth process.
D) during the first two years of life.

12. In which year did the Supreme Court of the United States rule that people of the same sex have a constitutional right to get married?
A) 1986
B) 1992
C) 2001
D) 2015

13. According to the FBI, how many hate crimes in the United States are directed against gay males and lesbians?
A) one in every five
B) one out of every two
C) one out of every ten
D) one out of every seven

14. Researchers by and large found a   __________ gap between initial attraction to members of one’s own gender and disclosure of one’s orientation to other people, which usually occurred at about age 18.
A) 6-year
B) 8-year
C) 10-year
D) 12-year

15. Which of the following statements about Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is true?
A) DOMA was signed into law by Barack Obama.
B) DOMA passed in the House of Representatives but, failed in the Senate.
C) DOMA prevented states from legalizing same sex marriage.
D) DOMA denied federal marriage benefits to same-sex couples.

16. T/F. Most gay men have a gender identity that is inconsistent with their anatomic sex.

17. T/F. Women’s sexual orientations are more flexible than males.

18. Explain what DOMA is. What are some of the legal rulings that DOMA has gone through? (5 points)

DOMA was an act passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton that amended the federal judicial code to deny federal benefits to gay couples, as the act defined marriage as “between one man and one woman as husband and wife.” (GovTrack, 2018) Since 1996, it has gone through several changes and challenges.  In 2013, United States v. Windsor struck down section 3 of the Act, declaring DOMA to be unconstitutional under the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment.  (2018)

19. Swelling of the genital tissues with blood, which causes erection of the penis and engorgement of the area surrounding the vaginal opening is called __________.
A) congestion.
B) vasocongestion.
C) sex flush.
D) myotonia.

20. The phase of the sexual response during which the body gradually returns to its prearoused state.
A) excitement phase
B) plateau phase
C) orgasmic phase
D) resolution phase

21. Which of the following statements is true regarding Master and Johnson and Kaplan’s view on sexual response?
A) Master and Johnson treat the phases as relatively independent components of sexual response.
B) Master and Johnson view the sequence of the phases to be somewhat variable.
C) Kaplan views sexual response as composed of successive stages; the order is crucial and invariant.
D) Kaplan treats the phases as relatively independent components of sexual response.

22. The practice of withdrawing the penis prior to ejaculation during sexual intercourse is called __________.
A) fellatio.
B) coitus interruptus.
C) escaping.
D) the retreat method.

23. In the Book of Genesis, Onan “sinned” because he did not follow the Biblical law requiring a younger brother to __________.
A) marry his brother’s widow and father children if the elder brother died without an heir.
B) raise the elder brother's children if he died.
C) financially support his elder brother’s wife and children if he died.
D) give his first-born child to the widow of his elder brother to raise as his elder brother’s son.

24. In the 19th century, graham crackers and corn flakes were advocated as __________.
A) foods to improve circulation.
B) measures to prevent colon cancer.
C) anti-masturbation foods.
D) sexual stimulants.

25. According to several studies, women who had masturbated in adolescence were more likely as adults to __________.
A) have difficulty achieving orgasm with a partner.
B) be sexually promiscuous.
C) find marital intercourse gratifying.
D) replace intercourse with masturbation in their marriages.

26. In female masturbation, most women __________.
A) use their fingers or objects to simulate a penis.
B) insert a finger in the anus to heighten orgasmic sensations.
C) use a circular motion to massage the glans of the clitoris until orgasm.
D) massage the mons, labia minora, and clitoral region in circular or back-and-forth motions.

27. Which statement is true regarding sexual foreplay?
A) Women around the world require at least some foreplay prior to engaging in intercourse.
B) In the United States, women desire longer periods of foreplay than men.
C) The pattern and duration of foreplay is largely uniform across cultures.
D) Kissing is an important part of sexual foreplay in all cultures.

28. T/F. Masters and Johnson’s sexual response model can only occur during intercourse, not masturbation.

29. T/F. By Master and Johnson’s definition, men are not capable of achieving multiple orgasms because they enter a refractory period following ejaculation.

30. T/F. The hypothalamus and adrenal glands regulate gonadal secretion of sex hormones, specifically testosterone in males and estrogen and progesterone in females.

31. List the four phases of the Master’s and Johnson’s sexual response cycle. (5 points)
Excitement
Plateau
Orgasmic
Resolution


32. According to the text, a major component in people’s ratings of attraction is__________.
A) intelligence.
B) physical appearance.
C) personality.
D) family background.

33. Which of the following statements is accurate regarding how female weight is viewed?
A) Slender figures are as attractive by females and males.
B) Most societies value plump women.
C) Wide hips were not found appealing in any culture.
D) In our culture, anorexic thinness is the ideal.

34. Cross-culturally, men tend to place greater emphasis on __________ in their preferences for a mate, and women tend to place greater emphasis on __________ in their preferences for a mate.
A) earning capacity; intelligence
B) physical attractiveness; youth
C) youth; physical attractiveness
D) youth; earning capacity

35. In addition to physical features, men’s and women’s ratings of each other’s attractiveness appears to depend on __________.
A) personality.
B) honesty.
C) gender-role expectations.
D) dominance.


36.  Almost universally, women prefer __________.
A) younger men.
B) muscular men.
C) older men.
D) men with large penises.

37. In terms of mate selection, the attraction-similarity hypothesis proposes that people tend to develop romantic relationships with people who are similar in __________.
A) physical attractiveness.
B) cultural background.
C) interests.
D) All of the above

38. According to the text, the preferred age differences between marriage partners is when __________.
A) husbands are 5–10 years older than wives.
B) husbands are 2–5 years older than wives.
C) husbands are the same age as wives.
D) wives are 1–2 years older than husbands.

39. Your instructor suggests that many students in the class will find their mates in their classrooms, dorms, or neighborhoods. Your instructor’s observation is referring to research findings for __________.
A) the validation hypothesis.
B) the neighborhood hypothesis.
C) the association hypothesis.
D) propinquity, or proximity.

40. The type of love that binds friends, parents, and children through attachment or deep friendship is called __________.
A) agape.
B) storge.
C) philia.
D) eros.

41. According to Sternberg’s Triangular Theory, which type of love is a relationship in which the components of love are absent?
A) Nonlove
B) Liking
C) Empty love
D) Fatuous love

42. According to Sternberg’s Triangular Theory, which type of love is a relationship the combination of passion and intimacy but, not commitment?
A) Infatuation
B) Empty love
C) Romantic love
D) Fatuous love

43. T/F. Studies found that men rated lighter areolae as being more attractive in women with larger breasts, but preferred dark pigmented areolae in women with smaller breasts.

44. T/F. Highly feminine women are more likely to be attracted to dominant, “macho” men.
Answer: True

45. T/F. Cross-culturally, women have more romantic ideals of what is attractive in a mate than do men.

46. A non-committed “casual” sexual relationship in which a couple also does nonsexual things together is called __________.
A) friends with benefits
B) a hookup
C) a booty call
D) serious romantic relationship

47. A relationship characterized only by repeated sexual episodes without commitment of deep emotional feeling is called __________.
A) friends with benefits
B) a hookup
C) a booty call
D) serious romantic relationship

48. Which of the following best describes the relationship between sexual intimacy and emotional intimacy in a relationship?
A) Although they can go together, a couple can have one and not the other.
B) Emotional intimacy only develops after sexual intimacy.
C) Sexual intimacy usually develops after emotional intimacy.
D) Sexual and emotional intimacy are two aspects of one process and usually go together.

49. Which of the following statements accurately describes what level of disclosure is necessary for intimacy in an ongoing relationship?
A) In order to build intimacy, both partners need to be able to disclose fully to each other (i.e., to be “open books” for the partner to read).
B) It is important for women to disclose fully and completely to a partner, but intimacy does not suffer if men hold back and simply listen.
C) Disclosure is not necessary for intimacy to develop.
D) It is important to share honestly for intimacy to intensify, but it is not necessary to disclose all thoughts and feelings.

50. In healthy committed relationships, __________.
A) couples spend the majority of their time together.
B) all decisions are joint decisions.
C) friends of each individual become friends of the “couple.”
D) each partner maintains his/her individual interests and needs.

51. Which of the following can contribute to the deterioration of a relationship?
A) Boredom
B) Bickering
C) Jealousy
D) All of the above

52. Jealousy leads to feelings of __________.
A) security.
B) satifaction
C) anxiety.
D) happiness

53. Researchers have found gender differences in jealousy. Males seem to be most upset by __________, whereas females seem to be more upset by __________.
A) sexual infidelity; time spent away from home and family
B) emotional infidelity; sexual infidelity
C) sexual infidelity; emotional infidelity
D) psychological infidelity; emotional infidelity

54. Which of the following is not noted to be a cause of loneliness?
A) Lack of social skills
B) An internal locus of control
C) Lack of empathy
D) General pessimism

55. Which of the following statements is most accurate in describing the relationship between
communication and satisfaction between partners?
A) Love is all you need.
B) Too much communication can damage the mystery that fuels love.
C) Better communication helps enhance relationships.
D) Communication is not as important as passion.

56. Which statement represents a common irrational belief about relationships and sex?
A) Men naturally know what to do to please their partners sexually.
B) Even in intimate relationships, partners need to discuss what pleases them.
C) Women may hesitate to let partners know what their sexual needs are.
D) Couples know that they cannot read each other’s minds.

57. Which statement best represents the communication skill of asking for or giving permission to talk?
A) “You can tell me anything you want, but it annoys me when you don’t come to bed when I do.”
B) “I’ve always found it rather awkward to talk about sex.”
C) “How come you never say anything when we’re making love?”
D) “I know you don’t want to hurt my feelings, but I’m wondering if I’m doing anything that you would prefer I not do.”

58. A loving couple is attempting to be more effective in their communication with one another when a problem arises. Which of the following will improve that ability?
A) Talk nonstop until the problem is resolved
B) Focus only on the problem
C) Determine who is at fault and make them acknowledge their guilt
D) Not talk about what makes them uncomfortable

59. T/F. People cannot have intimate relationships without being sexually intimate.

60. T/F. Obsessional jealousy consumes a person with fear of interference in the relationship.

61. T/F. An external locus of control implies that people do not see themselves as capable of taking their lives into their own hands and achieving goals.

62. Discuss how one’s self-esteem may impact his/her ability to form intimate relationships. (3 points)
Often, people with low self esteem sabotage good relationships because of an external locus of control.  Rather than admit they are struggling with empathy, social skills, cynicism, and more, they blame everything outside of the relationship for destroying the relationship rather than own their own issues.  They can be jealous.  They may demand too much upfront.  But unless they own their garbage, they will be forever stuck in an endless loop of unfulfilling relationships. 

63. List five of the causes of loneliness offered by the text authors. (5 points)
Lack of social skills
Lack of empathy
Failure to disclose personal information to potential friends
General pessimism
An external locus of control







References
Rathus, S. A., Nevid, J. S., Fichner-Rathus, L. (2018). Human Sexuality in a Changing World.
     (Tenth Edition). New York, NY: Pearson North America.

GovTrack.us. (2018). H.R. 3396 — 104th Congress: Defense of Marriage Act. Retrieved from

Seidman, S. (2015). The Social Construction of Sexuality. (Third Edition). New York, NY: W.
     W. Norton & Company.

Petrusich, A. (2015). “Free to be Miley.” Paper Magazine. Retrieved from



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Grade: 87/100
Professor Comments: You should have had 6 more points but you didn't cite the source of the short essays per instructions at the top of the page. Instead of giving the class a zero for plagiarizing - I deducted only 2 points. Next time I will post the zero to the essays not cited per APA and the college's position on plagiarism.

Psychology 277 - Discussion Question 2


The following questions as I stated earlier involves (1) the reading of the essay by Greta Christina, "Are We Having Sex Now or What?" This brings up the question of how each of us categorize sex. What counts as having sex with someone, as noted in her article, in which she also noted that "I kept doing more kinds of sexual things, the line between sex and not-sex kept getting more hazy and indistinct" (p. 5). Respond to her two comments in her essay, and in your own opinion answer the question of "How you categorize sex?" and finally, answer the question I asked earlier in the syllabus, "Is oral sex, sex?"
                Greta Christina starts her essay on “Are We Having Sex Now Or What” by describing her excitement with counting the number of lovers she had enjoyed, only to go back and wonder if she had really counted them all. (Christina, page 1)
For me, sex is anytime a genital is touched by someone else.  Though I grew up hearing about “outer-course” and how it’s not as valid as a form of sexual intercourse but still pleasurable.  However, I still classify “heavy petting” and mutual masturbation as sex.  Any time the genitals come out and there is touching of the genitals by someone else, it’s sex.  Oral sex is sex.  “Heavy Petting” is sex. Watching someone masturbate while you masturbate is a hazy grey area but as a woman who has had sex with other women, I still classify it as sex.  Penetration is obviously sex.  If the goal of the activity is to pleasure someone else, it’s sex. 
My husband and I have had arguments about whether or not oral sex is considered sex, but to me, again, any time the genitals are touched by someone else, it’s sex.  The question SHOULD be what ISN’T sex.  Non-consensual genital exposure or touching is not sex.  Wiping a baby while changing its diaper is not sex.  But two fourteen-year-olds on mom’s couch, playing with each other under the blankets is sex.  I do not count breast fondling as sex in and of itself. But breast fondling that leads to genital touching would be sex in my view. 
                Consensual genital touching changes your relationship with the person you are touching.  Christian addresses this by saying, “Knowing you’ve had sex, being conscious of a sexual connection, standing around making polite conversation with someone thinking to yourself, ‘I’ve had sex with this person,’ that’s what always changes things.” (p. 2) In my many years on this planet, I have come to the realization that having sex with a person doesn’t always change your friendship.  In fact, there are two people with whom I have had consensual penile-vaginal sex with, where the sex only served to prove to us that we were just better off as friends.  Having sex just made things clearer to us and solidified our friendships as solely friendships.  In this aspect, Christina and I do not agree. However, she states later in the essay, “Perhaps having sex with someone is the conscious, consenting, mutually acknowledged pursuit of shared sexual pleasure.” (Pg. 3) And in this, we agree on what defines sex.


For question 2, is have been duly noted that we live in a sex saturated society, and your text talks about sex drives, sex scandals, sex crimes, and sexual perverts, among many others. However, as you well know (think of the supreme court fiasco over the last few days), as "sex permeates every aspect of our lives from advertising to politics to our relationship with others" (Strombler, et al., 2010, xiii). Comment on the question that has been asked is "Why haven't women (young adolescents to the elderly), who have been sexually assaulted never come forward until someone else does and then many more tell their story? The confrontation of two women who confronted Jeff Flake in the elevator was quite disturbing, eye-opening, and very emotional, but one that needed to be addressed to the world, that she and other women have held what happen to them in solitary isolation for decades. Their story needs to be heard as all the other victims of sexual assault or even attempted sexual assault as Dr. Ford's experienced some four decades ago came out. I believe her! Comment on this ongoing social problem as you see it and how you have responded to the actions of men who prey on women of all ages. 
                As a survivor of sexual assault who attempted to report her rape, I can really relate to the women who wait to report their assaults.  I was subjected to invasive questions, disbelief from everyone around me, and the new label as a crazy ex-girlfriend with a desire to “ruin that good boy’s reputation” (as my mother stated). I was shunned, ignored, and called a liar.  I ended up retracting my claim and living with it in silence for 15 years (until I was 30), because it took 15 years and his admission of guilt before anyone believed me. 
                The Bureau of Justice Statistics states that only about one-third of all rapes are ever reported, while the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NIPSVS, 2015) states that the number is closer to 14%.  (Rathus, Nevid, & Fichner-Rathus, 2014, p. 479) Often, rapes go unreported BECAUSE of what we view in the media.  We see women accuse Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, only for him to end up on the Supreme Court and have the victim’s lives destroyed because of supposed smear campaigns.  We see women who report being called liars by the cops, being told they shouldn’t have been out at that hour, drinking with friends, or wearing that outfit.  We see rapists sentenced to a month or get off with just probation.  We see hundreds of women come forward only to have the court dismiss all of them and slap the assaulter on the wrist. 
Rape is not taken seriously in our society.  There are laws, but they aren’t enforced unless it’s considered “legitimate rape.”  Politicians tell us, “Rape is kind of like the weather.  If it’s inevitable, relax and enjoy it.” (Williams) We vilify survivors as slanderous and praise abusers as being good people.  It happens day after day.  Victims aren’t likely to come out as survivors because they see what happens to survivors every single day.  They know that they aren’t likely to be believed, they will be subjected to an incredibly invasive process at the hospital, by law enforcement, and furthermore by the whole justice system.  The current state of affairs doesn’t make me wonder why victims do NOT report sexual assault.  It makes me wonder why they DO. 

References
Christina, G. (2005). “Are We Having Sex Now or What.” The Erotic Impulse. New York, NY: Penguin
     Putnam, Inc.
Rathus, S. A., Nevid, J. S., Fichner-Rathus, L. (2018). Human Sexuality in a Changing World. (Tenth
     Edition). New York, NY: Pearson North America.
Williams, Clayton. Reported Interview. (1990)



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Grade: 30/30
Professor Comments: None

Thursday, October 11, 2018

Philosophy 101 - Essay Block 8, 9, 10


Chapter 8 – The Scholar: Thomas Aquinas

Augustine: “I was held fast, not in fetters clamped upon me by another, but by my own will, which had the strength of iron chains… the new will which had come to life in me… was not yet strong enough to overcome the old (will), hardened as it was by the passage of time. So these two wills within me… were in conflict and between them they tore my soul apart.” (pg. 220)
This quote sticks out to me because I often struggle with my own will, much as Augustine did.  Right now, I am working on quitting smoking, so I am torn between the old will (of smoke a cigarette) and the new will (of learning to be without cigarettes).  It’s hard to be in constant conflict with yourself but it happens to us all the time.  We wrestle between two opposing forces, created in our own minds, as we struggle to become the best versions of ourselves. This quote is important because it points out that even the wisest among us, the philosophers, still struggle the way the rest of us do.  Being torn between two opposing wills is the human condition.

H. L. Mencken: “A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a cat that isn’t there. A theologian is the man who finds it.” (pg. 223)
I love this quote, not just because it’s funny and because it pokes fun at theologians, but it is a worthwhile ponder when it comes to the existence of a higher power.  Philosophy tries to discuss the things that can only be felt through the mind’s eye from a flawed human perspective, but theology tries to quantify these invisible theories into a series of events that one can see, touch, smell and feel.  In my opinion, God can only be felt internally, which, is why I believe so many people struggle with the concept.  But theology tries to solidify philosophical (abstract) concepts into solid doctrine.

Rene J. Muller: “Science has not killed God – quite the contrary. It is clearer now than ever that what we can learn from science is limited to what is abstract and quantifiable. Because of what science has achieved… God is needed now more than ever.” (pg. 224)
As a firm believer in God and science, I love this quote because it hits home to me.  From my point of view, both science and faith can exist in the same sphere because neither opposes the other.  Science explains a lot of things, but we cannot know everything.  God can fill in the blanks where science cannot.  I have only rarely questioned my own belief in God, but in those moments, something has happened to make me understand God in a whole new level through science.

Chapter 9 – The Rationalist: Rene Descartes

Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali: “Thus, I know that ten is more than three. Let us suppose that someone says to me: ‘No, three is more than ten, and in proof of that I shall change this rod into a serpent’: and let us suppose that he actually changes the rod into a serpent and that I witness him doing so. No doubts about what I know are raised in me because of this. The only result is that I wonder how he is able to produce this change. Of doubt about my knowledge there is no trace.” (pg. 252)
This quote is amazingly spot on because it describes how the natural mind would react to something so bizarre as turning a rod into a snake.  I wouldn’t personally care about their argument that three is more than ten so much as I’d be completely bewildered by the rod turning into a snake.  It would completely distract me from the argument about the numbers. This is less a philosophical argument than one about human reasoning.  I highly doubt that any person with reasonable knowledge would question their knowledge instead of questioning the magic of turning a rod into a snake.

Rene Descartes: “It were far better never to think of investigating truth at all, than to do so without a method.” (pg. 253)
I chose this quote because it made me think.  I do not know if I have an actual method for thinking about the truth.  I just think to myself.  I do have parameters, but I am not sure if parameters are a method.  This quote really challenges me to determine if I have a method for studying philosophy or if I just do it with my own biases.  It challenges me to think of a method for studying rather than just doing it as a flight of fancy. Is a method needed, though?  Do we need to create a method to study or can we just let the mind wander?  I honestly don’t know the answer to these questions, even though my gut tells me no.

Susan Bordo: “Nature became defined by its lack of affiliation with divinity, with spirit.  All that which is god-like or spiritual – freedom, will, and sentience – belong entirely and exclusively to res cogitans (the thing that thinks). All else – the earth, the heavens, animals, the human body – is merely mechanically interacting matter.” (pg. 272)
This quote is powerful because it separates what theologians consider to be parts of God (freedom, will and sentience) from the parts we can know with our five senses.  Bordo separates that which can be quantified from that which cannot.  I personally do not feel that the heavens are “mechanically interacting matter” but I’m willing to give it space in my brain.  Perhaps she is talking about the universe, rather than God.  From that perspective, I can see the argument and agree with it. 

Chapter 10 – The Skeptic: David Hume

Jean-Paul Sartre: “The world of explanations and reasons is not the world of existence.” (pg. 282)
I love this quote, even if others hate it.  Our world is full of so many unknowns, from the workings of our brains to the exact makeup of entities in the universe.  We cannot possibly understand every little bit of our world and to attempt to do so is an exercise in futility.  In my life, I have experienced that explanations and reasons are just not part of our world.  There is a lot that can be explained but the absolute silliness and illogical parts of our world cannot be ignored.

Thomas Reid: “Suppose that a (plain) man meets a modern philosopher and wants to be informed what smell is plants is. The philosopher tells him that there is no smell in plants nor in anything but the mind; that it is impossible there can be smell but in a mind; and that all this hath been demonstrated by modern philosophy. The plain man will, no doubt, be apt to think him merry.” (pg. 284)
This quote is totally bizarre, but I love the thought it provokes.  Thinking about our five senses, a neuroscientist will argue that none of them are anything but impulses in the mind, which is what the philosopher here is arguing.  But to the average person, senses are so much more beautiful than electrical impulses in the brain.  I would think that someone who is apt to be merry would enjoy the electrical pulses of the five senses, but I could be wrong.  Maybe it is better not to enjoy but to discuss and philosophize.

David Hume: “Accurate and just reasoning is the only catholic remedy, fitted for all persons and all dispositions; and is alone able to subvert that abstruse philosophy and metaphysical jargon, which, being mixed up with popular superstition, renders it in a manner impenetrable to careless reasoners, and gives it the air of science and wisdom.” (pg. 291)
This quote is interesting to me, as a person who believes in God.  This quote goes directly to the heart of the atheist argument, that it is better to know reason than believe superstition.  I do my best to understand such arguments, but I generally can’t accept them because most are not based in logic.  Unlike other arguments this one seems to be saying that it is better to know science and wisdom than to accept vague answers.  I like that a lot.  You cannot just discredit one without suggesting a replacement. One needs to accept that theology cannot explain everything; but neither can science.



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Grade: 10/10
Professor Comments: The students attending Central Arizona College and taking a Philosophy class come with convictions about the world in which we were born. Some students include a deity into the convictions about the world, other students are uncertain about a deity, and other students reject the concept of deity. I am sure you have your own convictions, some of which you share in your essays. Each student approaches the study of philosophy with a mind searching for wisdom. That very concept of a search demands an openness to explore the concept of deity. In chapter 8, Soccio, our textbook author, reviews Thomas Aquinas' five proofs of God using reason. [The subject matter of philosophy is NOT religion that requires faith in what is unseen, rather it is using reason.] Soccio's revisits two proofs, motion and cause, writing "God's existence is possible or probable (p. 232)." Then on page 233, writing "don't be too quick to reject Thomas's proofs." Soccio points out that the basic elements such as methane, ammonia and hydrogen need a cause. Asking, "where did the matter and energy come from?" Science has not accounted for the existence of basic elements/matter and the energy putting them in motion. From pure reasoning (not faith), what is the source of the existence of matter and the energy needed for its motion? Ponder your convictions? Using reason, ask yourself, how do you answer these questions?