The Erotic vs. The Pornographic

Tuesday, December 20, 2005
First Aired:
Tuesday, February 15, 2005

What Is It

Erotic experience is a human good. Mature, consenting adults should be able to explore the erotic realm freely, without outside interference. Pornography is illicit and destructive. But what is the real difference between the erotic and the pornographic? Is there a bright line? In our attempts to regulate pornography do we run the risk of infringing upon the erotic freedoms of consenting adults? John and Ken draw the line with Anne Ashbaugh from Colgate University.

Listening Notes

色情艺术和色情作品有什么区别?很多人想要禁止色情,但没有人真正谈论禁止色情艺术。都是表示。我们如何在“好的”色情作品和“坏的”色情作品之间划清界限?约翰给出了情色和色情的定义。为什么色情作品会有如此负面的内涵?肯提出很多对情色艺术的负面反应是出于对情色力量的恐惧。

Then, Ken introduces the guest, Professor Anne Ashbaugh from Colgate University. The erotic shapes our life in a very important way. People use sexuality to shape their identity. But, why are sexual desires any more important than, say, our desires for food? Couldn't being a vegetarian shape my life in a way that is just as important as my sexuality? Ashbaugh says that they are both important. All our desires are important and removing any of them negatively impacts the person. Does everything go in porn? Surely not. There are things everyone is or should be revolted by, such as child porn. Where does the line get drawn though? Ken, John, and Ashbaugh talk about several possible definitions for pornography, but which should be adopted?

肯提出了在色情作品中物化女性的话题。他认为色情作品物化了女性,剥夺了她们的权利。一位前色情片演员打来电话,指出色情片基本上是假装的。但是,我们对世界的认知,我们对世界的看法,会影响我们在世界上的行为。所以说这只是假装就能让事情变得更好吗?色情与言论自由的限制有什么关系?一个完全自由的社会会说:“任何事情都可以。”一个完全体面的社会肯定会实施限制。但现代美国社会应该如何或在哪里划定两者之间的界限还不清楚。It is also important to consider to what extent pornography even is speech.

  • Roving Philosophical Report(Seek to 04:38): Amy Standen interviews Carrol Lee, a sexual worker's rights activist and pornography film producer star. She says that she wants to keep ideas about sexuality healthy. She thinks that claiming to be pornographers reclaims the word from its negative connotations while claiming to be makers of erotic art divides the community into "good guys" and "bad guys." There is a connection between violence and sexuality.
  • Sixty Second Philosopher(Seek to 50:15): A brief biography of the Marquis de Sade. He points out that, rather than being a sadist, the marquis was more of a masochist.

Transcript