HUMAN

SEXUALITY
16.7-16.14
Presented by:
Charisse Lourdes Sur-Pavia, ABMC,
BSN

Introduction:

Human sexuality is an integral part of

our humanity. It is an element that
factors in the human psyche, be it seen
from the psychological, physiological,
social, religious, economic or nursing
perspective. There are, of course,
many human emotions associated with
the subject of sexuality, but there is
also as much academic study given to
this subject, primarily because of its
importance in human life and its
processes.

Human sexual behavior is different

from the sexual behavior of other
animals, in that, it seems to be
governed by a variety and interplay of
different factors. That is, while "lower"
animals or species are driven by a
"force" to reproduce and therefore
partake in sexual behavior. Humans
are not sexually active just for the
sake of reproduction, rather, there are
a variety of complex factors that lead
people to have sex.

 So what precisely makes human

sexuality human? Or, to put it more
succinctly, what distinguishes it
from mere animalistic tendencies to
procreate and propagate a species?
And in what way does human sexual
behavior validate or nullify our
humanity?
Florentino Timbrezas Bioethics and
Moral Decisions tackles seven (7)
salient points on this subject, which
we will discuss in this paper.

In Chapter 16 of
Timbrezas book is an
exposition on the pain of
unrequited love. Although
poetically phrased, the
subject is dissected in a
philosophical tone.

The Pain
of
Unrequite
d Love

He writes; Human
loneliness cannot be solved by
sexual selfishness.
Clearly, human sexuality
necessarily has a social
dimension, considering that
man is fundamentally a social
being. One thing that
distinguishes human sexuality
from mere animal sex is that it
involves the entirety of the
human person, in all his
aspectspsychological,
emotional, physical and
psychical. This is true in as
much as it involves his social
charactermeaning that man
finds both his human and
sexual fulfillment in relation to
another human being, and in
finding this fulfillment, he
finds happiness.

is, as we have
mentioned, wholly
involved in a social
exchange, the element
of mutuality is
necessary and egotism,
or self-centeredness is
an obstacle to his joyful
fulfillment.
Timbreza puts it
thus; sexual love
seeks its whole
fulfillment in the
fulfillment in the
beloved, and to divide
that fulfillment would
be to diminish that
love.

AFFIRMATION OF
SITUATED FREEDOM

Human sexuality, as we
have mentioned, entails
the involvement of the
whole man, then it also
precludes human freedom.
In this respect, Timbreza
notes: Ones freedom of
happiness is not absolute,
so sexual freedom is also
limited. (it is) limited and
conditioned by other
peoples freedom of
sexuality.

The key words here are freedom and

limitation, for in the social context, there
cannot be one without the other.
My right to sex involves a corresponding
duty in others to respect it, in proportion to
my duty to respect their own right to sex.
To elaborate further; man--being a
member of society, is regulated by state,
law and culture with regard to his freedom
and duty, in clear contrast to lower animal
beings, which are not. This is a defining
aspect of human sexuality.

Moral Discipline

 Now that we have touched upon the subject

of state, this is now coupled with the moral
discipline. Timbreza writes: Ones freedom
of sexuality should enable him to see that
sex implies moral discipline.
We must stress, however, that in as much
as mans freedom to engage in sex with
whomever he wants, whenever he wants
and however he wants is limited by (as
mentioned above) state and culture,
sexuality cannot be truly human if man
does not impose moral discipline upon
himself, for man is an autonomous being.

Another point worth mentioning is that man is

gifted with an inherent sense of propriety, and
must act according to such if he is to be
distinguished from lower animals. Otherwise, he
is, figuratively speaking, not a man at all, and his
exercise of sexuality is not at all a humane
sexuality.

Ones
Inhumanity
to Another

 Which now leads us to the next point of contention,

humanity versus inhumanity. As Timbreza points out,
there are forms of sex that stifle and wreck freedom.
Sex, in other words, can become an obstacle in an
individuals desire to become fully human.

Looked at in another light, unless man acts upon

sex and sexuality in a human and humane manner,
then he fails to bring about the true fulfillment of his
own humanity.
Therefore, whenever he dissects sex from that
affective part of his being, then it degrades not only
his partners humanity, but his own as well.
Whenever he fails to act in a caring and concerned
manner with respect to human dignity and moral
integrity, then he is performing an act of inhumanity.

It would be beneficial at this junction to

digress into the topic of sexual alienation.
In alienating his extrinsic sexual act from
his inner being, he is actually alienating
himself from his own self, and his practice
of sex alienates him from being fully
human. He becomes a divided person;
fragmented. He loses the power that
freedom gives him because he becomes a
slave to his lower passions, no longer the
master of himself.

COMMITMENT
AND
RESPONSIBILITY

 Thus far, we have viewed freedom in

sexuality in a negating manner, in a much
as it curtails certain actions. At this
junction, we will view it in a more positive
light. We must remember mans freedom
empowers him to act, and in the sexual
context, to act upon commitment and
responsibility.
Timbreza writes; In human sexuality,
freedom is seen as ones openness to
another. One realizes that one is free for
someone in a way, my freedom is a
personal commitment to my beloved.

How is my freedom my personal

commitment? The answer lies in the gift of
self. When I am truly human, I am whole
enough to give of myself, am capable of
opening myself up to another and am
precisely empowered to care about the other,
hence committing me to act in a caring way
towards that significant other. This
decentralizes me, from being self-centered to
being other-centered, prompting me to act
with responsibility towards the others
humanity, with commitment to upholding that
humanity in every way, even in being faithful.

SAFEGUARDING
THE OTHERS
VALUE

 The same holds for safeguarding the others

value. To be redundant about it, we must stress
that commitment doesnt only mean valuing
the other, but it also means I am responsible
and take responsibility for upholding the others
value. Since two people in a relationship mirror
the infinite preciousness of each others
humanity, they share the mutuality of their selfworth and act with mutual responsibility in
preserving this shared preciousness. Including,
needless to say, the preciousness of their
shared relationship. This shared upholding of
their dignity dignifies them both.
As Timbreza puts it, quoting an old adage, Ang
karangalan mo ay karangalan ko rin.

RESPONSIBILIT
Y TO AND FOR
ONE ANOTHER

 Since we have already touched upon

responsibility to and for one another, we shall
expound upon a point Timbreza has on justice.
To quote: There can be no love without justice,
and no justice without love.

Simply put, one who loves another, does not

act with injustice towards the other, for one acts
with love and concern for the other. If justice is
philosophically defined as giving to the other
what is due to him, then it simply means giving
to the beloved the love that is due to him. It
also means giving to the human person the
dignity that is due to his humanity, in short,
rendering to a beloved person the love and
dignity that is his.

In the sexual context, this goes to

mean that one who loves never
abuses the sexuality of the other.
Never exploits it or destroys it, but
chooses to utilize the full power of his
freedom to build up the beauty of the
others selfhood.

CONCLUSION:

At the beginning of this

presentation, we proposed to answer
the questions, What precisely makes
human sexuality human? Also, What
distinguishes it from mere animalistic
tendencies to procreate and
propagate a species? And, In what
way does human sexual behavior
validate or nullify our humanity?

 And we have seen that as much as

sexuality can be humanizing, it can also be
dehumanizing. Timbreza states it very
succinctly: It is humanizing if it enables
me to realize myself as much as it brings
the other to fulfillment. Both of us attain
self-realization and unitive self-fulfillment.
Sexuality becomes truly human when it:
first, involves the entirety of the human
person, second, it brings the person into
the full realization of his humanity and
third, it effects a mutual self-realization in
another.

 This is what distinguishes it from

mere animal sex and it is this too
that validates my being truly
human. The contrary nullifies my
humanity; that is to say, that I am
being nothing more than an animal
when I act in egotism, which,
inevitably dehumanizes me and
dehumanizes others.
In conclusion, love is the humanizing
factor in human sexuality, and we as
creatures of love are brought to
fulfillment in and by it.

QUESTIONS?