Philosophy of love, sex, and marriage : an introduction /

Drawing heavily on his own work and that of Alan Soble, Halwani (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) presents a thorough investigation of love (definitions and boundaries), sex (definitions and potential moral implications), and marriage (definitions and contemporary controversies). Romantic love is often seen as the ideal manifestation of love; though this is something to desire, it is not necessary for a happy or satisfied life. Sexual desire, as well, is " . . . not as basic [a drive] as hunger or thirst." These two are part of the nature of human beings. Marriage, on the other hand, is a purely social construct and has a more philosophical definition. Halwani calls for the eventual dissolution of the institution because of its exclusivity, especially with regard to same-sex marriage and polygamy. He shows that necessary conceptual connections between love, sex, and marriage do not exist. Explicit without being prurient, this book explores in a systematic way the possible aspects, moral and physical, of sex and love. It will be accessible to interested advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and scholars. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty. S. J. Shaw Prairie View A&M University