The article entitled Sexual Perversion, written by Thomas Nagel attempts to give insight on issue of perversion. Nagel not only explains what is perverted, but why certain things are perverted as well. The article uses strong evidence to help the author convey his points. However, Nagel does use the words could and may quite often in his article as to let the reader draw his own conclusion. Thomas Nagel s view, though somewhat open-ended, offers both specific cases and a broad analysis of perversion which are both evaluative and amoral.
Before Nagel attempts to define perversion itself, he explains his model for the basic framework of any full-fledged sexual relation (45).
He uses what he calls an artificial case of desire at a distance. Here is a concise explanation of Nagel s model: The two subjects, Romeo and Juliet, are each sitting at opposite ends of a room which contains many mirrors which allow for unnoticed observation. Romeo then observes Juliet which causes him to desire her and thus arouses him. Juliet notices Romeo observing her and becomes aroused herself. However, Juliet is not aroused by the mere sight of Romeo. She becomes aroused because she is now aware that Romeo is aroused because of her. This is just the basic structure of his model, stating, Ordinarily…things happen in less orderly fashion–sometimes in a great rush (45).
sexual desire to Nagel is not merely the perception of the desired object but an awareness of oneself. The experience of perceiving the desired object overtakes one s body as the feeling of arousal increases. When Romeo first notices Juliet, his arousal is at first unknown to Juliet. It is not until he notices Juliet sensing him that he first sees his own arousal in the reactions of another. Nagel states that sexual arousal may begin first with the sense that he is being noticed by another and the arousal comes from the realization that he is …being assailed by the other person s desire rather than merely the perception of the person (45).
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This specific case was drawn upon by Nagel to exemplify a sense of generality because each individual sexual act would be much more specific and would depend on each person s perception of himself and of the other.
Nagel clearly states that there is no concrete distinction between perverted and unperverted. It is necessary for not only the partner be aroused by the sexual object, but to be aroused by one s own desire. Any deviation from this would therefore be a form of perversion. Nagel refutes this by giving this example, …if partners in heterosexual intercourse indulge in private heterosexual fantasies, thus avoiding recognition of the real partner, that would, on this model, constitute a defective sexual relation (47).
This, as well as other examples, are not thought of as forms of perversion. However, many better known deviations, such as pedophilia and bestiality, do represent incomplete versions of Nagel s model for sexual relations. If one s sexual desire is somehow hindered and not allowed to take its interpersonal shape, then it will choose another one. This implies that perversion involves the process of normal sexual development being obstructed. Humans will always attempt to create interpersonal sexual awareness and therefore cases where that is obstructed can be deemed perverted or unnatural.
Take for example sexual acts with infants, animals, and inanimate objects. The process of sexual development had been stunted and is, as Nagel puts it, stuck at some primitive version of the final stage of sexual feeling (48).
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Sexual acts with small children and animals does permit the perception of the other but lack the reciprocity. The individual does not therefore derive his desire from the sexual object s desire which would come from the object s perception of the individual s initial arousal. Sexual acts with inanimate objects has nothing to do with the perception of another and relies on the sole awareness of one s own sexual embodiment. Voyeurism and exhibitionism both lack elements that constitute a complete sexual relation. The exhibitionist requires no need to be desired for he merely wants to display his desire to an audience while the voyeur does not even need to be acknowledged by his object of desire. Sadism and Masochism, since closely related, may both be classified as perversions according to Nagel. This is because they fall short of interpersonal reciprocity (49).
However, unlike pedophilia and bestiality, the deviation is in the perception of one s own sexual embodiment as an object of desire, rather than the perception of the partner.
Homosexuality, according to Nagel, is a controversial subject when deciding if it is a form of perversion or not. It is typical in a heterosexual relationship for the man to be the aggressor while the woman plays the passive role. Normally, it is the man who makes the initial approach and it is the man that gives during intercourse while the woman receives. However, the roles can be reversed. Women will become the aggressor and the man will take the more passive role. These temporary changes occur often and are very common in long-term relationships. These changes in roles do not constitute a deviation from Nagel s model of a full-fledged sexual relation. Therefore, homosexuality cannot be called a perversion, though like heterosexuality, has its own perverted forms.
What people view as perversion in today s society follows very closely to Nagel s view. Any sexual act that deviates from that of the norm is considered to be perverted. The standard sexual relationship in our society is a heterosexual couple, roughly the same age and who engages in sexual intercourse, which follows Nagel s model. Any sexual desires by an individual that is a departure from the norm would immediately be declared immoral and perverted. The pedophile, for instance, is deemed a pervert because he prefers sexual partners of a younger age which does not follow the aspect of the model which states that the partners must be roughly the same age. The immorality lies in the fact most people believe that children should not be exposed to anything sexual until they reach the appropriate age. Sadists and masochists are also deemed perverted by mainstream society. Their deviative expression of their own sexual embodiment is seen as strange and abnormal to mainstream society. For sexual intercourse to be morally right, both partners should enjoy it. However, since pain is involved it is considered immoral. When people think of what is right or wrong, they typically think of how the action would affect another.
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That is to say if a sexual act causes harm to someone or something, it is considered immoral. That is why in today’s society there are laws against such perversions as bestality and pedphilia. Society claims that children, as well as animals, do not possess the moral faculties to determine if what they are doing is wrong. Then the question arises, “What if there is no harm done during these acts, is it still immoral?” I believe that people only deem these acts as perverted because they themselves do not enjoy them or in some cases detest them all together. The sadist, for example finds nothing wrong in what he is doing because he is enjoying it. The moral issue basically comes down to this: If both partners are enjoying the act, then it is, to them, moral, though it may be morally wrong in the eyes of others. Hence the fact that Nagel deems his view of perversion as amoral.
Nagel s view of perversion is far from that of a moral one. He merely gives a full view of the sexual spectrum. The top being his ideal sexual relation, and the perversions, or deviations, all below this ideal. He explains that his notion is in some sense evaluative. Not all evaluations we make of people and their actions are moral, and those of sexual habits are no different. As Nagel states, We make judgments about people s beauty or health or intelligence which are evaluative without being moral. Assessments of their sexuality may be similar in that respect (50).
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... forth, but wrong as sexual acts. In so far as perversion is concerned no act can be perverted as long as we follow strict moral guidelines ... reveal itself in conduct that expresses an unnatural sexual preference." (Nagel 105) Sexual desire however is simply one of the appetites that the ...
Thomas Nagel s goal of this article was not to convince the reader that perversions are immoral, but to merely give deeper insight into the topic. Never once did he say that one perversion was worse than another, let alone wrong in itself. By stating that judgment of a person’s sexual habits can be evaluative just the same as the judgments of a person s beauty, for example, he completely takes the morality out of the topic. And by doing this, accomplishes the goal this work.
