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Commentary on Jecker

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Sorell, Tom (2021) Commentary on Jecker. Journal of Medical Ethics, 47 . 36. doi:10.1136/medethics-2020-106957

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2020-106957

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Abstract

Jecker’s paper focuses on the value of sex and sexuality in the lives of older people, and she argues that there is nothing wrong with the use of sex robots to realise that value. She concedes that sex robots marketed today are overwhelmingly designed for heterosexual males, and that their appearance corresponds to certain objectionable stereotypes of sexually attractive women, and of exciting sexual practices. Still, she says, sex robots do not have to be like that, and a less stereotype-ridden design could take away the sexism, heterosexualism and ageism of current ones. I am sympathetic to these conclusions. But I believe that they are not general enough, and I want to take issue with the argumentative strategy that leads to them.

The conclusions are not general enough, because disability or bad circumstantial luck can lead to the damaging absence of sex in the lives of people from many adult age groups, not just people in their 70s and 80s. Jecker’s paper starts with the case of couples whose sex life deteriorates with old age. But there are also many people, whether disabled or not, who fail to acquire a sex life, and who want one, sometimes desperately. They, too, have a problem that a suitable sex robot might help …

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology
Divisions: Faculty of Social Sciences > Politics and International Studies
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Sex, Aging -- Research, Sex machines, Sex dolls, Robots -- Social aspects, Human-robot interaction, Sexual ethics
Journal or Publication Title: Journal of Medical Ethics
Publisher: BMJ Group
ISSN: 0306-6800
Official Date: January 2021
Dates:
DateEvent
January 2021Published
22 December 2020Updated
24 November 2020Available
2 October 2020Accepted
Volume: 47
Article Number: 36
DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2020-106957
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Open Access
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