What’s wrong with INCEST?
boghossian.substack.com
What’s wrong with INCEST?
Does absolute morality exist?
Two friends at the University of Central Florida discuss opposing reactions to the claim, “Incest is morally wrong.” They consider medical implications, Biblical practices, and cultural norms. Absolute morality is contrasted with relative morality, and one participant suggests other moral prohibitions (like lying and murder) must be considered in context. The conversation leads to a second claim: “LGBT rights are relative.”
From your comments, I understand that this video generated a lot of controversy. It is important to note that the ethics of incest has a long historical pedigree. Similarly, we're now seeing academics argue for the ethics of sex for "minor attracted persons." Not understanding why people believe what they believe about this topic does not make it go away. It is the same as every other topic—it is vital to probe the reasons people have for their beliefs and see if that aligns with the best available evidence.
Every woman I have ever known who has experienced even a mildly incestuous advance has never really recovered from the pain, confusion, disgust, and wrongness they feel. No-one had to define it as wrong intellectually or teach us it was wrong.