Influence of Classical and Medieval Periods Sexual Beliefs Both Classical and Medieval Periods have influenced my outlook on health, and sex education, in the realms of sexuality. The Classical Period’s perspective toward sex were more open and permitted. The Medieval Period’s perspective toward sex is restrictive, sex to be an essential part of bodily health and just another necessary function of the human biological system. Ideas and values formed by civilizations during the Classical Period, such as, ancient Greek sex values are what I am more aware of on a conscious level. Moreover, I am more comfortable accepting the values toward sex that were upheld during the Classical Period because of how open and permissive their view is on sex. …show more content…
After both sexes have completed the stages of puberty it is natural, thanks to the ideas advocated by civilizations in Classical and Medieval Periods, to tend to be more inclined to think about pleasure and longing to have sex. According to both Classical Period and the Middle Ages, sex was perceived as to be normal and a natural part of life. However, it is ideal to have sex in moderation. According to Aristotle, moderation is virtuous. I am consciously aware the more sex an individual partakes in the more likely he/she is prone to sexually transmitted infections. STIs are signs an individual is not taking precautionary steps to maintain their health and health of their body. Also, it shows that an individual is not being moderate in the amount of sexual behavior. So health, is one aspect I adopted by both Classical and Medieval …show more content…
I have learned that wealthy women during the era of Classical Greek preformed acts autoeroticism, such as inserting dildos inside their vaginas, as a substitute of heterosexual intercourse with their respectable partners, and too, to incite pleasure and desire. It is more on a conscious level that not only men, but too, women, masturbate and also, that acts of autoeroticism have existed for many centuries ago. I feel that I would be more comfortable accepting the values of ancient Greek because their values of sex are still prominent today, and also because they were more accepting toward acts of autoeroticism than of societies in the Medieval Periods. Masturbation is a part of life, as far as, an individual discovering what sexual behaviors are pleasurable to them, and too, it is safe alternative than having sexual intercourse with the opposite sex without knowing the consequences that will ensue. So, sex education is another aspect that I adopted from Classical and Medieval Periods. I learned sexual acts as a modern society we do are exactly to ancient societies preformed in the
The sexual lifestyle of women during the medieval time period was quite different among married and single women. Medieval women were not accurately informed of their sexual organs due to bad medical research. They thought they must perform sexual acts on a regular basis to preserve themselves. The third-century writer Galen was looked upon as an authority for medical information on sexual activities. Galen stated that, “a woman’s womb was ‘cold’ and needed constant warming by ‘hot’ sperm” (Time Traveler’s 55). One would assume that hu...
Despite the nature, origins and even existence of the Renaissance being subject to intensive investigation by many historians, the traditional understanding of the European renaissance as being defined as the bridge between the Middle Ages and modern era has resonated in society throughout time. Exemplified through the influx of creative arts, literature and philosophy of that time, Swiss cultural historian Jacob Burckhardt defined this bridge as being the result of an immense intellectual transformation in humanity. In fact, the term ‘renaissance’, coined by the French historian Jules Michelet, can be translated to mean ‘new birth’ or ‘rebirth’. Spanning roughly through the 14th to 17th centuries, the renaissance is often recognised as the time of a revolution of cultural revitalization and exploration. These traditionalist ideas of the Renaissance as developed by Michelet and later expanded by Burckhardt were however ultimately disposed by revisionist historians like Charles Homer Haskins who began a revolt against Renaissance idea, motivated by the goal to deny the era any legitimate historical existence and annex the period to the middle ages. However, the perspectives of these historians in this debate are ultimately a reflection of their own context and purposes. Both Michelet and Burckhardt’s approach reflect their own 19th-century world, whilst Haskins was heavily influenced by his liberal, optimistic 20th-century ideals. A more contemporary approach to the debate is exemplified through historiographer Wallace K. Ferguson. Ferguson had chosen to focus and draw conclusions from the mirrored reflections and controversies surrounding the Renaissance idea that persisted amongst past historians. However, despite argua...
words that help capture what is medieval art. The artists behind these pieces of artwork
The reason I am writing this paper is to share the information I attained about human sexuality by learning about sexuality in a college setting and by exploring my sexuality through personal experiences. I do not consider myself to have experienced much exposure to sexual behavior but I do have a cultural bias to what I consider a heavy amount of exposure because the North American culture is considered more promiscuous and sexually active than other cultures.
Learning is one of the most important concepts that I hold dear to my heart. In order to advance in life that is something you must be able to do. I have learned many different things from various places, but in this year alone, I have learned a tremendous amount of material in honors English 1301. Not only did my professor, Mrs. Minkel, give me the tools needed to make successful scholarly papers, although it came with some challenges, she also provided her students with the tools needed to be a great student overall.
Teenage sexual activity is a major problem confronting the nation and has led to a rising incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and teenage pregnancy. The existence of HIV/AIDS has given a sense of urgency to the topic of sex education. The issue of sex education in schools especially in the formative years has been a subject of intense debate among parents, school officials, health scientists and religious authorities worldwide for a considerable period of time. The debate centers on comprehensive sex education versus abstinence-only sex education in school. Abstinence only sex education is a sex education model that focuses on the virtue of abstinence from sexual activities; therefore, encouraging sexual abstinence until marriage. This form of sexual education completely ignores all other elements of comprehensive sexual education like safe sex and reproductive health education issues like the use of contraceptives and birth control methods. Comprehensive sex teaching encourages promiscuous sexual activity as “a natural part of life.” Proponents of abstinence only education activists cite several reasons why this type of education is the best. It focuses on the upholding of moral virtues. They also claim that sex outside marriage hat is “encouraged” by the comprehensive sex education which as a result, has some emotional and physical downfall especially when done at a very young age. They blame the comprehensive sex education for failing to discourage premarital sex especially at this time when the HIV pandemic is busy devouring young people in various parts of the world (Deborah 2). In fairness, both programs were designed to decrease the incidence of STDs...
Looking at our past, there have been dramatic changes in the way humans view sex. Long before the 1900s individuals framed their views based on the religious institution. Due to the fact that they strongly centered their idea of sexual thought on religion, they believed that the only purpose of having sex was to procreate. As the 1920’s approached, there were various factors that changed the way individuals viewed sex. The “new women” known, as flappers were women who were confident in who they were. They changed their attire as well as their social attitude. In the 1920s, the flappers redefined sex; customs and traditions were broken and new norms were created by society.
Throughout human history, there has always been a wide range of conflicts with nature. The earliest humans had to learn survival techniques in the wilderness, we have always felt the threat of the devastating forces of the earth like volcanoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, and in recent decades have even ventured into the vast wonders of outer space. The issue we are focusing on here deals with various advances in the nature of human sexuality. Sexual enlightenment produced profound changes in human society. The aspects of sexual enlightenment covered in our web site are homosexuality, pre-marital sex, sexual disease, marriage and birth control.
There are a multitude of understandings and interpretations of the concept culture. A common definition may be a, “cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving”(Hofstede). An explanation that may be used to discuss the culture of the Middle Ages. Furthermore, it may be used to examine the changes in key aspects, such as, religion, gender roles, and social norms during the time period of approximately the 500s to the 1500s.
Christianity and its many sects has a colorful rainbow of different ideals towards sexuality as a whole that all stem from the same central ideal of preserving one’s sexual sanctity. The Bible has stated many varying rules that applies to sex throughout the old and new testament, which can be seen as the reason for these splintering ideals, along with the many different interpretations of these rules. The Christian Religion’s central ideals toward human sexuality was determined by the Catholic Church millennia ago, with the effects of these teachings still seen today.
The Middle Ages were a time of expanding and experimenting sexually for the people. Religious figures who had taken vows of celibacy had children, sometimes with more than one woman. Even some popes of the time had illicit affairs. However, adultery was often condoned, especially in knights, because the Chivalry Code expected of them certain “actions”:
The medieval university, while rather different from the universities of today, still cemented several traditions which persist into the modern day. Early universities like Oxford cemented the style of teaching and classwork which would be the standard of higher education, that being formal lectures and exams. They also used disputations at the end of their course of study to gain their degree. University at that time was also a costly institution, with tuition being present at the time as well. Degrees also retained their traditional titles, such as bachelor of art, master of arts, or doctorates.
Abstinence-only sex education teaches one main concept: to refrain from all sexual activity until marriage. This type of education avoids topics regarding contraceptive use and focuses on the benefits of remaining abstinent and the consequences of having sex before marriage. Some of the consequences of sexual activity before marriage include but are not limited to negative psychological and social impact, pregnancy, and contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs). According to a 2010 study from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 70 percent of parents and over 60 percent of teenagers agree that sex should be reserved for marriage (Calabrese, 2012). Therefore it can be concluded that many parents and teens would agree with abstinence-only sex education as the preferred method of teaching adolescents about sex. This is one of the few reasons why the government has invested over $1.5 billion in abstinence-only sex education over the last decade (Kunz, 2013, p. 108). One of the highlighted phrases of abstinence-only sex education that educators like to use is “no sex is the safest sex” because not having sex means zero risk of pregnancy or contracting an STI. Proponents argue that while sex before marriage may be the cultural norm, it does not necessarily r...
Through the transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, as well as political literature and diplomatic advancements, the Renaissance significantly influenced modern politics. This has been proven through the conversion evidences of Charles VII and Louis XI, The Prince and Discourses on Livy by Machiavelli, and the diplomatic developments made by Machivelli and Henry VII. In the end, despite the era being only three hundred years and happening several centuries ago, the Renaissance was a key point in the modern world’s political history.
Before moving on, one must know that sex education is about, but not limited to the discussion of sexual intercourse. As a Buzzle article states, it involves a multitude of topics that introduce human sexual behaviors such as puberty, sexual health, sexual reproduction, sexuality, and more (Iyer). If formally received in school, these topics are brought up and discussed at age-appropriate times over the course of children’s junior high and high school education. Moreover, as I have introduced earlier, the way sex education should be taught is divided into two approaches. It is between taking either a conservative, abstinence-only approach or a more liberal, comprehensive approach. Abstinence-only education, approaches students by stressing the importance of “no sex before marriage” as be...