Pornography (from Greek πορνογραφια pornographia — literally writing about or drawings of harlots) is the representation of the human body or human sexual behaviour with the goal of sexual arousal, similar to, but (according to some) distinct from, erotica. Pornography may use any of a variety of media — written and spoken text, photos, sculpture, drawings, moving images (including animation), and sound such as heavy breathing. Pornographic films combine moving images, spoken erotic text and/or other erotic sounds, while magazines often combine photos and written text. Novels and short stories provide written text, sometimes with illustrations. In addition to media, a live performance may also be called pornographic.In its original meaning, pornography was literally "writing about prostitutes", from the classical Greek roots πορνη and γραφειν. It was, however, a made-up word coined in England about 1850 that had a spurious air of age and scholarship about it. There is no evidence that anyone at that time, or earlier, was writing about prostitutes per se except as they figured as characters in written erotica of that epoch. It quickly came to mean writing about anything sexual, especially in a base manner, when the creation, presentation, or consumption of the material was for sexual stimulation. The term now refers to sexually related material of all kinds, both written and graphical.
Ethical Relativism
There are two distinct forms of moral relativism. The first is individual relativism, which holds that individual people create their own moral standards. As a human being we have our own belief, we have our own standards. The second is cultural relativism which maintains that morality is grounded in the approval of one’s society – and not simply in the preferences of individual people. Although we have individual differences, different cultural heritage, different prevailing social norms and different religious affiliation we must considered the whole society.
We have our own standards regarding pornography. For me pornography is a big No, because many are affected. Not just the women itself but the children and the youth. Pornography is a sin, it is morally wrong. It violates the law of God. Philippines is a Christian country, Pilipino strongly believed that pornography is bad under all circumstances but even we believe it, many of the Pilipino supported this event like accessing the website of it, publishing nude photos and scandals which is unethical. Nude photos of women bring happiness to the men, but disgrace to a woman. Publishing nude photos brings money, they gain profit from it. Some computer café hook nude photos because of money even it is morally wrong because they don’t want to be poor and they don’t want their family to starve to death. Even it’s against to their faith they engage with it, although there are laws prohibiting pornography. Women must be respected not to be abused. If some countries considered it decent and morally good, and nudity of the human body is just an art, I just think that Noah’s day will be repeated. Only few men, women and youth will be inside the ark, but most will be killed by the floods because of immorality. I don’t believe ethical relativism in this case because all the people in the world must be considered.
Ethical Absolutism
I believe ethical absolutism in the case of pornography, that all the actions done in this case is morally wrong under all circumstances, that pornography is considered immoral, that there should be fixed or rigid factors in evaluating such actions. If pornography is morally wrong, then the same should be so in all such incidents. Pornography can’t be considered good in one case and bad in another case. Ones’ an action damage ones reputation, ones right and it is malicious act, then it will be considered morally wrong no matter what the circumstances is. Impact the law of the Bible will agreed on ethical relativism because pornography is really bad and it is a sin against God.
Ethical Egoism and Ethical Altruism
Ethical Altruism in the case of pornography is a pure mask self interest of the publisher; there is no desire to promote the good of others. And besides they promote immorality in the sight of God. Pornography is degrading women reputation. Who will benefit from it? Of course the Publisher and individual users who has self interest. They can use it for flesh or for arousal, black mail, and revenge and gain personal profit; to buy anything they want to. Individual have the capacity to think and discern what is right and wrong but then because of “human needs” or “human lust of the flesh” they did not think. They can’t control their action, that’s why they are doing it to satisfy their needs even they will abused someone’s reputation. I believe Mortiz Schlick of Vienna that “All choices, altruistic ones considered, are determined by the immediate pleasure felt by the person doing it. People have the tendency to lie about their motives in doing certain action or things, in reality they are self seeking”. They are all selfish. In ethical egoism what harms, the whole harms one. Pornography harms others reputation that’s why whatever we post must be taken into account. In the case of Pornography there is no freedom of expression, we don’t have the freedom to publish nude photos because it degrade ones personality and we must be responsible for that.
John Stuart Mills Utilitarianism
I don’t believe this finalist theory in the case of pornography. I really doubt that those actions that bring happiness are considered morally right while those actions that inhibit happiness is morally wrong. I know most of men are happy seeing nude photos of women in the internet which is morally wrong for me. But in this theory if we inhibit the happiness of a publisher or user who published nude photos it will be morally wrong. I don’t believe it; since publishing nude photos in the internet is a sin, it will not make me happy. It will bring us doom and we will be out in the sight of God. Happiness in pornography will be considered a yardstick of immorality. It’s alright to be happy if you helped for no reasons, if you helped without exchange, if you don’t degrade ones opinion, if you respect ones right that is the true happiness. But if you will degrade and abused one I don’t think its happiness, I called it self satisfaction and self interest. I just think we need to find the true happiness, the true happiness that God alone can give.
Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperatives
I believe Immanuel Kant that only good will be considered good. Pornography is bad under all circumstances. “The acts is good not because of certain consequences that occur on its performances or on the basis of its end result, but because of the willing, that accompanies the act”. In the case of pornography the user who published nude photos has no good intention, that’s why his action is really bad under all circumstances. The intention of the publisher of the nude photos is to gain profit from it, although they know that it will destroy the soul of every human being. Pornography is not an art, but it is a lust of the flesh. It will boost the needs of a man; many are rape because of pornography in the net. I don’t see good things that it will bring to the society. I know that every human being is able to discern and decide whether to obey certain set of laws or not. But because of the free will given to us by God, we choose always the bad things and acted upon, which we think it make us happy although it’s against the law in the land and the law of God. Pornography can’t be considered good; the act of browsing the web of it is really bad. It’s a temptation browsing the net.
Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
Since pornography is a human action, I don’t see moral virtue in pornography or intellectual virtue. It is not righteous, it is not fair and it is not just. Pornography damages the lives of many young people. Yes, human actions in computing are subject to evaluation through certain norms of ethical value. But in the case of pornography the action is lewd, unethical and immoral. In any aspect or situation pornography is bad under all circumstances. Publishing nude photos is just a body pleasure, to gain short time of happiness. We the users of the World Wide Web must discern what is right and garbage what is wrong, but there is no sense if what we discern right is not acted upon. Christian countries like Philippines knows that pornography is bad under all circumstances, we set our mind not to engage with this, but when the body pleasure comes, most of us can’t resist the temptation because it gives happiness to our eyes. Pornography is a sin and doing this is evil. We don’t want to be trap by evil things, and as abiding citizen we must not be engage to this. Temperance is a virtue that we must have as a user. With this virtue, we will be able to regulate our appetite with respect to what would preserve our physical well being. In that case we will not patronize or reproduce pornography.
If I were granted indefinite and unrestricted access to the internet, I will not be interested to join a chat group that hold no barrier as far as free expression and communication are concerned because I’m not fond of chatting and at the same time I’m just wasting my time. I don’t really chat to a stranger whom I don’t really know, besides I’m not ready to hear negative criticism and negative feedbacks regarding my opinion because I’m very emotional person. Yes, we have the freedom to express what is in our hearts and mind and that’s 90% correct, we must respect all the opinion of others and we are just honest with our self. But this freedom give us doom, freedom is only for those abiding citizen and know what is good and bad. Freedom is for those people who respect ones personality, that no one will be hurt and affected. But then, many abused their freedom of expression so as to published nude photos in the internet, published hate speeches and many more. You see if there is no barrier, many will be affected. But then it’s up to us if we will be affected on the issue published in the chat room, it’s really up to us. But the really problem in freedom to express what is inside your heart is the children and youth that will be affected. It’s alright if the entire oldies are affected, because they can resist and deny things that will be bad in their sight, but if it is a child or a youth then it will ruin their lives. I will say that anything to be published in the internet must be ethical, so as to have freedom of expression. Nevertheless, it’s alright for me if I join a chat group that will give me new knowledge and express what my opinion is, but not to the extent that one will be hurt because of hate speeches, and talking sex in the chat room which is “Yak, Kadiri at Bastos”. Pornography, combines images, spoken erotic text and/or other erotic sounds which is a sex crime, violating the law of God and the law in the land. Sex is sacred and it must be done secretly by married couple only. Publishing photos of a naked woman even it is altered is a malicious act. Most men arouse whenever they see nude photos in the internet, they are really amazed. (Oh Eve, your so beautiful). As a user we have the privilege to access the internet but we don’t have the rights to go beyond what is expected. We have given a privilege, don’t try to abuse it. If the topic of the chat group is nasty things like sex or nude photos of a woman or man, then I don’t want to join a chat group that hold no barrier as far as free expression and communication are concerned. Freedom of expression for me is only for those ethical people in the entire world; know that everything he/she published will not affect ones soul neither could not hurt ones opinion, ones belief and others. Also freedom of expression could not be used just to gain profit or personal interest from others. We can speak freely what is in our hearts but we need strategies, good approaches so that no one will be offended. If ever we hate somebody else, we talk to them personally or email them with your opinion, not to the extent that all users of the World Wide Web will read the hate speeches you wrote, because it degrades ones personality. Publishing nude photos and sex scandals in the internet is too ridiculous and very unethical. The users who do things like this are “maniac and selfish”. If freedom of expressions includes pornography and sex scandals, hate speeches and the like, then I will not be interested to join a chat group that hold no barrier as far as free expression and communication are concerned because talking nasty things is very unethical and violate the Law of God. Pornography is a sin, so publishing nude photos in the internet is a sinful act.