...Adultery is a nearly universal concern. It is defined by Judaic, Christian, and Muslim formulations, and in legal codes deriving from Roman law. Known colloquially as cheating or infidelity, adultery is more complex than simple faithlessness and is not to be confused with fornication, or sex between two unmarried people. In its simplest definition, adultery occurs when a married person has sex with someone other than his or her spouse. Marriage is requisite, on the one hand, for an action to be called adultery. On the other hand, the cheating couple also must not be married to one another; otherwise the situation is not adultery but bigamy or polygamy, even in jurisdictions where such is proscribed. It is sometimes the case that spouses agree beforehand that one or both spouses will seek sexual pleasure outside their marriages, a situation that has been called open marriage. Regardless of the level of consent or of participation by the offended spouse, most legal and religious authorities still consider such activity to be adulterous. Simple definitions aside, whether a particular act can be called adultery depends very much on historical, legal, and cultural contexts. That is, what qualifies as adultery in one jurisdiction would not in another, or even in the same jurisdiction in another era. In some definitions, both ''cheating'' partners are adulterers if either of them is married, and each is to be treated similarly. In practice, one partner--usually the woman--is often...
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...Emily Dillon Adultery Draft In most cases the act of committing adultery is most often viewed as immoral and highly unethical but others may see this act of cheating as justifiable in certain cases. Adultery is being unfaithful and dishonest in a marriage, but people continuously do it. There is typically a compelling reason as to why a person would cheat on their spouse depending on their situation. Although these reasons do not always justify adultery or breaking the law, in some cases the consequences of cheating can be seen to be positive giving it a sense of justification. The reasoning behind infidelity can give a person the idea that adultery can be justified. People may commit adultery for different reasons; they could be due to a loss of love or dullness in their marriage or to peruse personal happiness and or emotional fulfillment which expresses a person’s secret passionate desires in which the case can justify infidelity. Adultery is about a person that is acting out of discontentment with their failing marriage and is committed by people who lack the comfort of marital faithfulness and intimacy. Although cheating is wrong in most situations the story of Dmitry Gurov, in “The Lady with the Pet Dog” by Anton Chekhov, displays a male point of view of committing adultery offering a glimpse of why adulterers choose to be unfaithful. The loss of love between Gurov and his wife reveals the need to search for a further intimacy which he obtains during an affair....
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...Ethical Dilemma-Adultery My conclusion is that adultery is unethical. In the following rational argument, I will support why adultery is unethical. The term adultery is defined as voluntary sexual intercourse between a married man or woman and a partner other than the legal spouse (Collins English Dictionary, Dictionary.com). What makes adultery unethical is that it involves the breaking of a promise. One of the vows two parties promise each other when they get married is that they will abstain from sexual relationships with other people. Because of this promise both spouses have the expectation that the other will behave in conformity with it. Thus, when one of the parties has sexual intercourse with a third person he or she breaks that promise about sexual relationships which was made when the marriage was entered into, and defeats the expectations of exclusivity by the spouse. The breaking of this promise leads to the intentional infliction of substantial pain by one spouse to another. The immorality of such things as breaking a promise and deceiving someone and the action of adultery is, in a strong sense of prima facie, wrong or unjustified. According to Raja Halwani, in his book titled Sex and Ethics: Essays on sexuality, virtue and the good life, the unique wrongness of adultery results from adultery being an assault on a person’s self-conception and self-worth as a human being emotionally, sexually and erotically. It is rational to want to sustain...
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...Running Head: ADULTERY AND WHY IT MATTERS ENGL126-Sound Writing Skills Instructor: x Final Author May 09, 2011 The gimmick filled reality television and high-speed internet has spun us for a loop and left people so dizzy, they have forgotten which way is up. In an article from Time, Caitlin Flanagan explains why marriage matters and Olivia Stren from Flare discusses why women are optimistic about being given the opportunity to have an affair. As if it is now fashionable to cheat on your wife or husband, adultery has become a socially accepted “norm” as a result of changing demographics and its prevalent nature. This moral regression will leave our society scarred if left unchecked. Adultery cannot be dissected and understood without first understanding the institution of marriage and what it stands for. Let us forgo the typical, contract idea, “in sickness and in health” and the whole “love” thing and settle with the belief, for this argument, that marriages are the beginning of a new generation. Marriage is intended to raise the children, to protect, and instill in that new generation the teachings we want them to take into the future to make our world the best it can be (Flanagan, 2009). With that said, what is marriage as it stands today? If children are watching the moral fabric of society, one of the oldest traditions in the history of our people, melt away and be replaced with selfishness and depression? We are creating the ultimate “Me-Generation” who...
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...In the excerpt “What’s Wrong with Adultery?” by Bonnie Steinbock (“Adultery” 1886), Steinbock explains valid arguments for why we morally disapprove of adultery, but questions if adultery is wrong. Although adultery is not comparable to theft or murder it's illegal in some states, but rarely prosecuted because it is a private matter. Our view of adultery is shaped through our thoughts about love, marriage, and fidelity. Steinbock claims adultery breaks trust and creates deception, but also argues that open marriages have no deception since sexual fidelity is not promised. Steinbock agrees in some cases adultery can be morally acceptable. Essay 1 “What’s wrong with adultery?” by Bonnie Steinbock explores the immorality of adultery in a changing modern world. Steinbock agrees adultery violates trust and creates deception, but also validates open marriages as being an exception. Steinbock concludes you may accept or deny adultery and decide what is moral to you in your life. Morals are a set of...
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...Effects of adultery on the parties involved in the works of Chekhov 1. Introduction “In the latter part of the nineteenth century, a type of novel centered on wifely adultery flourished in Continental Europe”.1 Examples include Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlett Letter”, Leo Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” and Gustav Flaubert’s “Madame Bovary”, but also short stories by the Russian writer Anton Chekhov. The topic of adultery could be explored in many different ways and where most writers focused on the social problems of infidelity, especially when committed by a woman, Chekhov presented the relationships between the lovers and their families. Furthermore, I feel like the characters always give some kind of justification for being unfaithful, may this be a sensible reason or not. Therefore, for the purpose of this paper, I would like to further explore the “justifications” given by the cheating parties, the way it affects their relationships with their spouses and family, but also the role that society plays in the way that they handle their respective affairs. Furthermore, I will take a look at the way in which the characters deal with the guilt that they have, concerning their spouses and personal consequences. For this reason, I will be examining two short stories by Chekhov, “The Grasshopper”, published in 1892 and “The Lady with the Dog” from 1899, as well as the play “Three Sisters” from 1900. Furthermore, I would like to start with a brief look at the socio-historic context...
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...symbolism and her use of vivid imagery she is able to convey the themes of adultery, marriage, and new life in her characters. Her use of imagery and the symbolic meaning of the storm strongly convey her personal feelings on each of these themes. The first major theme in the story is adultery, which is represented by two of the main characters in her story, Calixta and Alcee. The story depicts them as having an old flame from years before the storm that brought them together again. The storm drives Alcee to take shelter in Calixta’s house, which leads to adulterous actions by both of them. In the story they passionately make love while Calixta’s husband and son are lost in the storm. In part II of the story, Calixta is shown sitting at home completely unaware of the storm’s approach. This scene can be seen as symbolic of her also being oblivious to the adulterous events that are coming in her very near future. It can also be seen as Calixta having no prior intentions to commit adultery in the story. Chopin uses her mastery of imagery at the climax of the storm to lustfully describe Calixta’s features to the reader to intensify the moment and her adulterous deed. Chopin writes, “Her lips were as red and moist as pomegranate seed. Her white neck and a glimpse of her full, firm bosom disturbed him powerfully. As she glanced up at him with desire” (Chopin 109). Chopin vividly describes their act of adultery at the climax of the storm, mirroring their actions with nature. The heat...
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...all”(Jennifer Phegley). There were 8 acts that went with marriage. In the victorian era parents would allow cousins to get married and have kids but not if he/she was your brother or mom/son or dad/daughter. The women's property act stated that “every married woman sole possession of all earnings and in harintents before and after marriage”(Jennifer Phegley). The most popular thing to do was to go to a ball. Everybody knew the young victorian threw the art of dance. Marriage was in high demand. The Divorce law reform bill said that a woman could only divorce her husband for only adultery only. In the victorian era homosexuals were not allowed and if you were caught you would get all of your money taken away from the court. A mother is allowed to have custody of her child if she is under seventeen but if the mother is found guilty. The divorce law stated that a wife was allowed to sue her husband has committed adultery while he is married to her. A man could not stay at a woman's house because it was considered impolite. If a man was engaged he couldn’t see any other woman. There was no physical contact until they were married. The woman in the victorian era were allowed some liberties and the men were allowed more liberties. When the woman entered the stage of courtship it couldn’t walk with the men in the victorian era. In the victorian era none of the impure conversations were held in front of the women. An unmarried woman never dated a man at night. In the victorian era women were ...
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...In 2001, bits of stone etched with intricate patterns were found in the Blombos Cave east of Cape Town on the southern African shores of the Indian Ocean. Scientists were surprised when the chunks of stone were dated at 77,000 years old, indicating that ancient humans were capable of complex behavior and abstract thought thousands of years earlier than previously expected. In Europe, thousands of sites have been excavated and artifacts unearthed that prove that what would be considered modern behavior existed there about 40,000 years ago. From everything that we understand about human evolution, certain forms of behavior were already being accepted as customs and certain actions judged as taboos even in those earliest of times. Customs are those activities that have been approved by a social group and have been handed down from generation to generation until they have become habitual. However, many customs vary from culture to culture, and those who visit other countries may suddenly discover that the simplest of customary actions in their own society may be misinterpreted as improper in another. For example, whether they are being introduced to someone for the first time or greeting an old friend, men and women in western nations are accustomed to shake hands. While the clasping of hands is intended as a gesture of friendship by Westerners, the people of many Asian countries may be alarmed by the boldness of a stranger who extends a hand, for they prefer to bow as a sign of...
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...Theresian School of Cavite Habay, Bacoor, Cavite In Partial Fulfillment Of the requirement in English IV “The Effects of having Boyfriend/Girlfriend Relationships in the Academic Performance of selected high school students of Theresian School of Cavite” By: Altair Marie Acosta John Daniel Buerano John Jeric Chan Trixia Roxanne Dela Cruz Odyssea Hermes Estrella Donald Philip Florendo Alyssa Javier Karen Louise Miranda Monique Reyes Patrick Joshua Villones March 2008 APPROVAL SHEET This thesis entitled “The Effects of having Boyfriend/Girlfriend Relationships in the Academic Performance of selected high school students of Theresian School of Cavite” prepared and submitted by, Altair Marie Acosta, John Daniel Buerano, John Jeric Chan, Trixia Roxanne Dela Cruz, Odyssea Hermes Estrella, Donald Florendo, Alyssa Javier, Karen Louise Miranda, Monique Reyes, Patrick Joshua Villones in partial fulfillment of the requirements in English IV is hereby accepted. _________________________ Ms. Menchie Ibasco English Teacher _________________________ Mrs...
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...Bradley Scotland Examine Two Critiques of the Relationship Between Religion and Morality The sense of ‘doing the right thing’ is a generally unifying concept held by the majority of humanity. Morality is a more or less uniform concept; for religious believers, this unity comes from a greater power pointing humanity in the right direction on decision making. For non-believers, the opposite applies. Possibly the most famous opponent of the link between religion and morality is Richard Dawkins. Dawkins takes the argument in the complete other direction claiming that religion leads to evil. Religion serves as a virus that corrupts human minds; on the matter Dawkins said religion is, ‘an indulgence of irrationality that nourishes extremism, division and terror.’ Dawkins assault on religion is aimed primarily at extreme Islamists and Evangelical Christians. Dawkins strongly dislikes the idea of educational institutions being misused to teach what are in his view, lies, such as creationism and biblical texts over evolution; likening it to ‘child abuse.’ The link to abusing children is an extreme one to make; but for Dawkins to mislead children and fill their head with lies is wrong. To take that further; Dawkins hates the fear installed in children through religion such as the concept of hell and eternal damnation. Education is a tool that allows practices, belief, and knowledge to continue and to be passed on; for Dawkins this means that the divisions insinuated by crossing paths...
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...2016-09-0061 Concept of Law (LAW 210) Dr. Ali Qazilbash 25th October 2013 Even when the majority discourage honor killing and consider it one of the most morally reprehensible acts of our time why does still continue to be part of our culture and our society? Women have been used for centuries by men to resolve their feuds but out of all the torture females have to bear because of men the worst of all is honor killing which has snatched away thousands of women lives each year. Believed to have originated as a patriarchal tribal custom, honor killings are a global phenomenon. A 2000 report by the UN Population Fund estimated that as many as 5,000 women and girls are killed each year by relatives for allegedly dishonoring their family. While the practice is often associated with Muslim cultures, it also happens among Christians, Hindus and Sikhs. However, an independent British study suggested the practice is strongest in Pakistan and Turkey. In a 2009 edition of the U.S. policy journal Middle East Quarterly, American feminist writer Phyllis Chesler argued that honor killings are distinct from domestic violence. According to Chesler, honor killings differ from domestic abuse because they are planned in advance and often rely on collusion between multiple family members (The history). In Pakistan, honor killing is when the society or family kills a person because they believe that person has somehow destroyed family honor or ashamed them in front of the society. Honor...
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...Marriage and Adultery Compare and Contrast the Marital Relationships in “Great Falls and “To Room Nineteen” Marriage is a “formal union of a two individuals, typically recognized in law, by which man and woman become husband and wife. The intention is that those who enter into wedlock will commit themselves to one another to “have and to hold”, from the day of their marriage onward, until death shall “do them part”. It is sometimes the case however, that two individuals grow apart before parted by death. A couple cannot stand the trials and tribulations, the wicked outweighs the worthy, and partners discover intolerable behaviours, secrets, and sometimes, infidelity. The promise of, “Until death do us part” is never broken, and the marriage is ended as cause of “irreconcilable differences”. The following composition will compare and contrast the spousal relationships in “Great Falls” by Richard Ford and “To Room Nineteen” by Doris Lessing. “To Room Nineteen” is a third person limited omniscient retelling of Susan’s marriage to her husband Matthew. Susan’s perspective gives the reader insight and a deeper understanding of her emotions, reactions and thought processes as the story unfolds. In contrast, fourteen year old Jackie, the only child of the couple in “Great Falls” gives a first person narration of how the marriage of his parents fell apart. Jackie’s perspective allows the reader to be a witness to the events while Susan’s perspective allows the...
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...Summary of the Essay Bonnie Steinbock wrote a controversial essay justifying adultery under some circumstances. The essay begins by giving statistical data on a Case study of infidelity that found out that forty percent of wives had been infidels in their marriage. The study suggests that just like men in a marriage institution, women are also catching up with adultery. She claims that the rise in female adultery can be attributed to the recent changes in their attitude towards sex as well as sexuality because the guilt of enjoying sex in our conscience no longer exists and if often regarded as mental health. The author argues that if sex is not shameful anymore then condemning infidelity is giving lip service and does not hold water to the ancient taboo. The author argues that adultery is not globally forbidden and gives an example of the traditional culture Eskimo where sharing your wife with a guest, or a visitor is an act of courtesy. She says that expectation of exclusivity of sex in marriage is what brings up bad emotions such as possessiveness and jealousy. In an institution of marriage, every partner can enjoy several activities such as traveling apart, and having separate friend hence the partners should also avoid drawing lines when it comes to sexual activity. The author says that the couples should separate sex from love and consider it as an activity for pleasure. She argues that during the time of marriage, many couples find new lovers and fall out of love in...
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...God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 5. Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 6. Thou shalt not kill. 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 8. Thou shalt not steal. 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy...
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