The Morality of Gay Rights: An Exploration in Political Philosophy

by Ball,Carlos

• ISBN13: 9780415931403
• ISBN10: 0415931401
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-10-11
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Does society have a moral obligation to recognize gay rights? Carlos Ball says it does. Supporters of gay rights typically argue that the state should maintain a neutral stance on the morality of gay and lesbian sexuality and relationships. But Ball takes the unconventional view that supporters of gay rights should make explicitly moral arguments. In particular, Ball argues that the human needs and capabilities of lesbians and gay men deserve the moral respect of society. InThe Morality of Gay Rights, Ball presents a comprehensive exploration of the connection between gay rights and political philosophy. He discusses the writing of contemporary political and legal philosophers-including Rawls, Walzer, Nussbaum, Sandel, Rorty and Dworkin-to evaluate how their theoretical frameworks fit the specific gay rights controversies, such as same-sex marriage and parenting by lesbians and gay men, that are part of our nation's political and legal debates.The Morality of Gay Rightsalso takes theunusual position of using the work of the postmodernist philosopher Michel Foucault to support liberal ideas. With its well-written descriptions of the key texts and its accessible, persuasive arguments, this book belongs on the shelf of every citizen who is serious about gay rights.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Acknowledgments	xi
Citation Abbreviations	xiii
Introduction Why Morality?	1	(14)
Neutral Liberalism	15	(26)
Rawls's Political Liberalism	17	(5)
Rawls from a Gay Rights Perspective	22	(8)
Dworkin's Liberal Equality and Moral Bracketing	30	(7)
The Later Dworkin: Individual Ethics and the Liberal Society	37	(4)
Pragmatic Liberalism	41	(34)
Rorty's Pragmatism	42	(6)
Rorty from a Gay Rights Perspective	48	(10)
Posner's Pragmatism and Human Sexuality	58	(6)
Rational Man as Moral Man	64	(11)
Moral Liberalism	75	(64)
Needs, Capabilities, and the Leading of Full Human Lives	77	(14)
Relationships, Attachments, and Autonomy	91	(9)
Moral Liberalism and Gay Rights	100	(39)
Communitarianism	139	(32)
Sandellian Values and Communities	141	(4)
The Role of Community in the Lives of Lesbians and Gay Men	145	(6)
Walzer and Justice	151	(4)
Internal Social Criticism: Same-Sex Marriage and Parenting	155	(16)
Lesbians
Gay Men
Postmodernism	171	(48)
Foucault and Sexual Ethics	174	(11)
Agency Versus Autonomy in Foucault's Late Writings	185	(9)
Codes of Conduct and a Gay and Lesbian Sexual Ethic	194	(25)
Notes	219	(44)
Index	263