Brittany PSY/265 Week 1 CheckPoint 2

Critical thinking skills are essential to every part of our lives, however they are particularly important when discussing sex. A person’s sexual decisions can have a huge impact on their life (pregnancy, disease and relationships) and should not be made without deep thought and consideration of all possible outcomes.
I believe one of the most important critical thinking tools regarding sex is skepticism. People will say anything to try to convince another to have sex. An individual must be able to see through lies and sugar-coated words to see the truth and the intent behind the proposal. That is not to say that all sex should be had only if the parties involved are planning a relationship, but both parties should be able to see clearly what the parameters are.
It is also essential to examine all arguments, from all sides, and then form one’s own opinions. Different organizations have different goals (e.g. pro-life vs. pro-choice groups) and therefore will distribute information that is favorable to their opinion. In order to make educated and informed decisions, one must examine all arguments and weigh them against individual values and morals. One organization should not dictate the sexual activities of a person or persons.
Finally, it is very dangerous to over simplify or over generalize arguments. Take the issue of abortion, for example. Simply saying that all abortions are wrong (or ok) is not right. Every person has to take into consideration his or her own beliefs on the situation. In addition, the physical and mental health of the mother must be taken into consideration. It is essential to use critical thinking skills in sexual situations as they are never clear cut and almost never have an easy answer.