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Assignment #3: Reflections
1. Hormones and the brain are powerful influences on human sexual functioning. Perhaps two of the most important portions of the brain in terms of sexual functioning are the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, which make up the HPG axis. The HPG axis consists of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and the gonads – gonads being the testes in males and the ovaries in females. Together, the HPG axis regulates sex hormone production in a negative feedback loop. Three important hormones that are produced from this process are follicle-stimulating (FSH) hormone; luteinizing hormone (LH); and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH.) These hormones help to regulate the pituitary gland’s production of …show more content…
When it comes to philosophical and religious perspectives on human sexuality, there are very few views that are “middle of the road,” so to speak. Generally speaking, these perspectives are either sex positive or they are not. Philosophically, this difference can be noted with hedonism and asceticism. Hedonism embodies pleasure in all its forms, including sexual behavior. It is defined as the “pursuit of pleasure, the avoidance of pain, and the fulfillment of physical needs and desires” (Hyde and DeLamater 483). In the context of sexual behavior, a person who ascribes to a hedonistic lifestyle might engage in many casual sexual relationships and not have a desire for a serious, monogamous relationship. Because hedonists usually avoid pain, they might avoid a serious relationship because they could potentially be hurt by the other person emotionally. The foil to hedonism is asceticism. Ascetics usually view sexuality as neutral or bad and are more focused on their spirituality rather than their sexuality. Historically, stereotypical ascetics have been monks or heavily religious persons. This makes sense considering that asceticism puts emphasis that is put on cultivating a rich inner …show more content…
Historically, Judaism has seen sex as an important part of a marriage between a man and a woman. This is due in part to scripture and to the social and sexual circumstances for ancient Hebrews. Regulation of sexual practices was introduced to increase the likelihood of the survival of ancient Hebrew tribes. Thus non-procreative sex and adultery became illicit in Hebrew cultures. Though it is interesting to note that polygyny and concubinage were not considered to be wrong or against the teachings of the scripture despite the sinful nature of adultery.
Similarly, Islam not only allows polygyny and concubinage, but has historically supported it. Though extramarital affairs are seen as wrong and grounds for punishment, it is usually tolerated when it concerns Muslim men. There is a clear double standard for this, as Muslim women often face much harsher punishment and even death for extramarital affairs while men do not. On a different note, Islam strongly encourages the use of contraception and primarily sees sex as a source of pleasure and secondarily as a means of
Assignment #3: Reflections
1. Hormones and the brain are powerful influences on human sexual functioning. Perhaps two of the most important portions of the brain in terms of sexual functioning are the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, which make up the HPG axis. The HPG axis consists of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and the gonads – gonads being the testes in males and the ovaries in females. Together, the HPG axis regulates sex hormone production in a negative feedback loop. Three important hormones that are produced from this process are follicle-stimulating (FSH) hormone; luteinizing hormone (LH); and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH.) These hormones help to regulate the pituitary gland’s production of …show more content…
When it comes to philosophical and religious perspectives on human sexuality, there are very few views that are “middle of the road,” so to speak. Generally speaking, these perspectives are either sex positive or they are not. Philosophically, this difference can be noted with hedonism and asceticism. Hedonism embodies pleasure in all its forms, including sexual behavior. It is defined as the “pursuit of pleasure, the avoidance of pain, and the fulfillment of physical needs and desires” (Hyde and DeLamater 483). In the context of sexual behavior, a person who ascribes to a hedonistic lifestyle might engage in many casual sexual relationships and not have a desire for a serious, monogamous relationship. Because hedonists usually avoid pain, they might avoid a serious relationship because they could potentially be hurt by the other person emotionally. The foil to hedonism is asceticism. Ascetics usually view sexuality as neutral or bad and are more focused on their spirituality rather than their sexuality. Historically, stereotypical ascetics have been monks or heavily religious persons. This makes sense considering that asceticism puts emphasis that is put on cultivating a rich inner …show more content…
Historically, Judaism has seen sex as an important part of a marriage between a man and a woman. This is due in part to scripture and to the social and sexual circumstances for ancient Hebrews. Regulation of sexual practices was introduced to increase the likelihood of the survival of ancient Hebrew tribes. Thus non-procreative sex and adultery became illicit in Hebrew cultures. Though it is interesting to note that polygyny and concubinage were not considered to be wrong or against the teachings of the scripture despite the sinful nature of adultery.
Similarly, Islam not only allows polygyny and concubinage, but has historically supported it. Though extramarital affairs are seen as wrong and grounds for punishment, it is usually tolerated when it concerns Muslim men. There is a clear double standard for this, as Muslim women often face much harsher punishment and even death for extramarital affairs while men do not. On a different note, Islam strongly encourages the use of contraception and primarily sees sex as a source of pleasure and secondarily as a means of