The Mismeasure of Desire: The Science, Theory, and Ethics of Sexual Orientation

Edward Stein

OUP USA, Apr 12, 2001 - Psychology - 388 pages

In recent years scientific research and popular opinion have favored the idea that sexual orientations are determined at birth. In this book, Edward Stein, a philosopher and legal theorist, investigates scientific research on sexual orientation and shows that it is deeply flawed. He argues that this research assumes a picture of sexual desire that reflects unquestioned cultural stereotypes rather than cross-cultural scientific facts, and that it suffers from serious methodological problems. He then asks whether sexual orientation is amenable to empirical study and if it is useful for our understanding of human nature to categorize people based on their sexual desires. Perhaps most importantly, Stein examines some of the ethical issues surrounding such research, including gay and lesbian civil rights and the implications of parents trying to select or change the sexual orientation of their children.

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The mismeasure of desire: the science, theory, and ethics of sexual orientation

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As with most gems of philosophical debate, Stein's book poses a lot more questions than it answers, but his intelligent, well-researched, and well-written primer should be the first title on any queer ...

Contents

• Introduction: 3
• Metaphysics: 18
• Sexual Orientation: 93
• Science: 115
• Animal Models and Evolutionary Accounts: 164
• Critique of the Emerging Research: 190
• Experiential Theories of Sexual: 229
• Sexual Orientation and Choice: 258
• Lesbian and Gay Rights and the Science: 277
• Selecting and Changing the Sexual: 305
• Should Scientific Research on Sexual: 328
• Conclusion: 342
• Bibliography: 359
• Index: 383

About the author

Edward Stein is an Associate Professor of Law at the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in New York City. He is the author of Without Good Reason: The Rationality Debate in Philosophy and Cognitive Science. He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from M.I.T., a J.D. from Yale Law School, and he has previously taught at Yale University, New York University, Mount Holyoke College, and Williams College.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Mismeasure of Desire: The Science, Theory, and Ethics of Sexual Orientation; Ideologies of Desire
• Author: Edward Stein
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: OUP USA, 2001
• ISBN: 0195142446, 9780195142440
• Length: 388 pages
• Subjects: Psychology / Human Sexuality; Social Science / LGBT Studies / Lesbian Studies; Social Science / Sociology / General