Philosophy Now Forum

Many cultures practice polygamy. Muslims may have four wives under Koranic law; the King of Ashanti in West Africa is strictly limited by law to 3,333 wives. Polygamy is not adultery. Neither of these cultures sanctions extramarital sex. Is polygamy immoral? Why or why not?

Immorality is in the eye of the beholder. However, what is clear is that the government should not take a position on the subject by creating laws.

I concur….thank you

Any marriage is immoral if one or more of the parties were immature, legally incompetent, misinformed or coerced. It's immoral if any party is abused and/or deprived of their human rights and freedoms. It's immoral if any party is prevented from dissolving the union for whatever reason. It's immoral if any party subsumes the property or assumes the contractual rights of any other party. It's immoral if any party is limited in their access to family and friends and social life. It's immoral if any party is forced into a role, costume, religious observance, work, function or status that is inimical to them. It's immoral if reproductive or parental rights are abrogated.

Morality in marriage is not about numbers; it's about autonomy and human dignity. Unfortunately, the cultures which enshrine polygamy also tend to mistreat women.

The legal situation is more fluid and contentious. So many laws are applied to domestic union and child-production, for so many reasons, that attaching morality to the framing of such laws complicates them beyond comprehension, never mind enforceability.

Standing ovation.......I LOVE your answer!

I thought of OSHO when I read it.....I know most people don't know who he is or hate him but

think he is one of the most intelligent minds of our day....and hilariously frank!

Polygamy might not be immoral, but it would be very tiring, one is enough for me.

I imagine some sort of roster would be in order..including both the bedroom and the kitchen, amongst other chores of course.

Not sure in these area, but I vaguely remember that in countries with polygami the rape rate is high because many men on the low end don't have wifes as all the good ones are taken.
It creates a poor damaging social structure.

R2D2 wrote:Many cultures practice polygamy. Muslims may have four wives under Koranic law; the King of Ashanti in West Africa is strictly limited by law to 3,333 wives. Polygamy is not adultery. Neither of these cultures sanctions extramarital sex. Is polygamy immoral? Why or why not?

Be nice if you actually stated your opinion. As so far all your posts sound like you want others to do your homework.

"He who has loved many women
Has loved none..."

Discuss.

Soren wrote:"He who has loved many women
Has loved none..."

Discuss.

"He who has loved no women
Has loved many..."

So deep.

Arising_uk wrote:

R2D2 wrote:Many cultures practice polygamy. Muslims may have four wives under Koranic law; the King of Ashanti in West Africa is strictly limited by law to 3,333 wives. Polygamy is not adultery. Neither of these cultures sanctions extramarital sex. Is polygamy immoral? Why or why not?

Be nice if you actually stated your opinion. As so far all your posts sound like you want others to do your homework.

I'm going to have to go with Arising on this one, as he has said over a few threads you seem to be just posting homework questions and then expecting people to answer them for you, now this might parse well in some remedial university where you can just plagiarise other peoples work and get a 1st class degree, but I for one think you should post something of your own views, so that we can get to grips with your meat and potatoes views; just posting exam questions is hardly likely to garner any serious response, nor should it, nor should you persist in doing so. Tell us what you think, forums are mediums of social discourse not homework help.

Soren wrote:"He who has loved many women
Has loved none..."

Discuss.

Yeah but have you ever really, ever ever really, loved a woman?

3Sum wrote:

Soren wrote:"He who has loved many women
Has loved none..."

Discuss.

"He who has loved no women
Has loved many..."

So deep.

So's your mum.

And relax, that joke was brought to you by the ancient order of your mum jokes, first instituted by the Belgians.

The thing that bothers me about polygamy is that it narrows the genetic pool, therefore making negative mutations more likely to occur. And honestly, I think that you can't have 7 women, love all of them equally and make them all truly happy but then again that's just my opinion and the reason for ME not to practice polygamy.

Ultimately, if polygamy is consensual I'm fine with it.

So's your mum.

And relax, that joke was brought to you by the ancient order of your mum jokes, first instituted by the Belgians.

I'd give a fuck, but I gave all my fucks to your mother last night

You guys crack me up! 3sum and soren

Sorry I have not posted....I have been studying for an exam tomorrow....and no not philosophy.
I'm not on here to cheat, I will post tomorrow.

Soren wrote:"He who has loved many women
Has loved none..."

Discuss.

One at a time, or all at the same time?