Date Thesis Awarded

5-2021

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only

Degree Name

Bachelors of Arts (BA)

Department

Philosophy

Advisor

Aaron Griffith

Committee Members

Victoria Costa

Elizabeth Losh

Abstract

In this paper, I use Sally Haslanger's ameliorative inquiry to examine the metaphysics of sexual orientation. The guiding question is: what is sexual orientation? The project is both a descriptive and prescriptive effort: I seek to describe the everyday concept of sexual orientation and prescribe a concept of sexual orientation that fulfills the aims of the contemporary queer movement. Unique to this project is my use of grounding and anchoring – metaphysical tools. I evaluate leading contemporary proposals from Robin Dembroff, Matthew Andler, and Esa Diaz-Leon. I then propose an alternative interpretation: a pluralist account.

Recommended Citation

Going, Neal J., "The Metaphysics of Sexual Orientation: A Pluralist Account" (2021). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 1600.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/1600