Objectification and Philosophy, Article Review Example

Largely a Matter of Face Value

What imagery does the very word ‘object’ conjure? For many, it would include hardness, lifelessness, or even the inability to progress or move at all. Thus it is unsurprising that the objectification of any people is often considered an evil. Nonetheless, this imagery represents a long-standing, narrow philosophical scope. The paper will briefly summarize and examine these different perspectives.

While a lack of consent is accepted as a negative manifestation of objectification, some have suggested that pleasure can also be found in powerlessness, and these situations still deprive both sexual partners of empathy and humanity. Still, the strongest philosophical arguments condemn the objectification of women in particular, and it is impossible to judge the merits of each argument without a clearer, unisex definition of objectification and the importance of the arguments of consent and self-worth. These arguments are at the heart of the issue and require that a clearer concept of objectification be reached. Kant defined objectification as a manner of behavior and psychological treatment and argued that objectification takes away humanity’s highest asset: its dignity (Papadaki 17-18).

Given this definition, new benefits of objectification soon emerge. For example, feminist philosopher Martha Nussbaum concluded that objectification may produce a positive reaction with beneficent results, as in the strengthening of empathy following sexual trauma or the emotional coping mechanisms of denial in military service (Papadaki 23-24). Where symmetry, mutuality, and intimacy coexist, Nussbaum contends that there is great potential for a positive (or benign) objectification (Marino 347-350). After reviewing the literature, it is apparent that a bias has long existed against objectification. All things considered, objectification can be said to be negative primarily when used in a situation of unwilling powerlessness and/or sexuality.

Works Cited

Marino, Patricia. “The Ethics of Sexual Objectification: Autonomy and Consent.” Inquiry 51.4 (2008): 345-364. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 22 July 2011.

Papadaki, Lina. “What is Objectification?.” Journal of Moral Philosophy 7.1 (2010): 16-36. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 21 July 2011.