Richard Wasserstrom's Article Analysis

In today’s age, adultery has become to be seen as an unexpected side effect in many marital relationships. Whether it be with relationships before marriage as well as after marriage. Comparing marital relations a decade ago with marital relations today, adultery has become to be more commonly experienced in today’s households. Therefore with progressing views on types of relations that have emerged in today’s society the traditional concept that adultery is possible in every marital relation, is no longer considered immoral in particular cases. Throughout this paper, I will address the main idea that Richard Wasserstrom presents in his article and his arguments supporting his idea that adultery is immoral. I will then address my own viewpoints on what I disagree and agree with his

He addresses the idea by posing two questions: “1. in what context does adultery fall into being immoral; 2. what adultery is exactly with the help of arguments supporting his main idea” (Wasserstrom, 1985, p.240). According to Wasserstrom (1985), adultery occurs when a promise is broken and the action would be considered “morally wrong” in extramarital relations (p.241). Adultery in marital relations occurs when one person in the marriage engages in sexual activity with someone outside their marriage, hence breaking the agreement that was made by either person to not commit the act (Wasserstrom, 1985, p.241). This is generally the traditional concept of adultery across many different cultures in monogamous marriages. People enter into an agreement to getting married with the one person, therefore trusting that person to not engage in any sexual relations after marriage. The aftermath with when one spouse has committed the adulterous act, the other spouse may feel that there is a “lack of sexual desire” for the spouse from spouse who committed the act (Wasserstrom, 1985, p.