tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post271170441472375353..comments2024-03-28T08:57:53.180+00:00Comments on Darwinian Conservatism by Larry Arnhart: Does Gay Marriage Perform the Functions of Marriage?Larry Arnharthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14619785331100785170noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post-16192569985839169642011-07-30T19:33:32.411+01:002011-07-30T19:33:32.411+01:00It may well be that heterosexual marriage evolved ...It may well be that heterosexual marriage evolved as a solution to the problems caused by heterosexual intercourse and the production (or risk of production) of children. But as the institution has evolved, it has developed other functions as well, and an institution that performs those other functions may well be of value even when production or the risk of production of children is not at issue. I, for example, am infertile, but I have been married nearly 20 years. I think my wife and I benefit from the institution of marriage in innumerable ways. That we, or the gay couple down the street with two children, are not within the original and primary concern of the institution of marriage may be true, but that hardly answers the question whether extending the benefits of such an institution to my wife and I, or my gay neighbors, is a good idea.CJColuccihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03691840821795365920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post-49555285470421628212011-07-29T17:07:26.805+01:002011-07-29T17:07:26.805+01:00It's not to prevent the problems that result f...It's not to prevent the problems that result from heterosexual parenting, it's to prevent the problems that result from heterosexual intercourse, namely, the problems that result from the production of a child. Maybe we're getting hung up on the word "parenting." "Parenting" I think is an ambiguous word, sometimes we refer to someone parenting a child meaning producing a child, and sometimes it means the raising of a child. So if you mean the producing of a child, then we're in agreement. But in that case, if parenting means producing, then there is no such thing as homosexuals parenting a child, which is obviously false.Empedocleshttp://apoxonbothyourhouses.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post-42555873465670991122011-07-25T15:48:15.346+01:002011-07-25T15:48:15.346+01:00If the function of heterosexual marriage is to pre...If the function of heterosexual marriage is to prevent the problems that result from heterosexual parenting, then why isn't it the function of homosexual marriage to prevent the problems that result from homosexual parenting?Larry Arnharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14619785331100785170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post-8478058235975137712011-07-25T14:56:08.720+01:002011-07-25T14:56:08.720+01:00And I don't think that a childless marriage is...And I don't think that a childless marriage is not really a marriage.Empedocleshttp://apoxonbothyourhouses.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post-81318741621908881142011-07-25T14:54:15.079+01:002011-07-25T14:54:15.079+01:00Also, I'm not against gay adoption, as the pos...Also, I'm not against gay adoption, as the post implies.Empedocleshttp://apoxonbothyourhouses.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16355954.post-57724051955356087702011-07-25T14:52:38.893+01:002011-07-25T14:52:38.893+01:00The argument isn't that gays cannot perform th...The argument isn't that gays cannot perform the function of producing and rearing children. Infertile couples can not do this either. The function of marriage is the prevention of problems that result from the production of children, which is an entirely different point.Empedocleshttp://apoxonbothyourhouses.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com