An assessment on Leslie Green's Sexuality, Authenticity, and Modernity.

Jamie MoonFritzmanPhilosophy of LawNovember 30, 2008Leslie Green and the Significance of SexualityIn Leslie Green’s article “Sexuality, Authenticity, and Modernity” Green is writing in response to Charles Taylor and his argument concerning human Sexuality and Authenticity. Taylor argues that sexuality and the choice about our sexual preference is altogether insignificant. Green first responds to Taylor’s claim and then takes his argument further by explaining that sexuality is significant and is a vital part of who we are in order to express what he calls our “authentic self’. In Jeff Johnson’s paper “Privacy, Authenticity, and Equality: The Moral and Legal Case for the Right to Homosexual Marriage” Johnson supports Green in his belief that our sexuality is a crucial part of who we are. Alasdair Macintyre also writes a short response to Taylor entitled “Critical Remarks on The Sources of the Self by Charles Taylor” and argues that a significant viewpoint or belief need not be socially recognized as significant in order to be so.

Taylor Swift 2010

Taylor Swift

taylor negron

In the end I will show why I believe Green writes a brilliant article in response to Taylor. Then I will explain why I believe that sexuality is significant and the choice to live a homosexual life is a worthy choice.

Taylor says that in order for a choice to be significant it must be one that is seen by society as being significant and that holds some sort of moral, political, or social weight. If we make a choice just based on some sort of inclination, the choice in itself doesn’t make it significant. There are choices we make in our day-to-day life that are insignificant to the rest of society. Whether I tie my right shoe first or my left shoe might be an inclination I have, and by acting on one of...