An upcoming talk at West Virginia University will philosophically examine the combination of alcohol and sex and how it relates to personal responsibility.

According to West Virginia state law, a person who is intoxicated is deemed physically helpless and therefore not capable of consenting to sex. That means participating in sexual activities with someone who is drunk could land you behind bars with a record of sexual assault in the second degree.

As part of Applied Ethics Day, “Intoxicated Consent to Sex,” will be presented by Alan Wertheimer on Oct. 19, at 8 p.m. in room G 15 of the Life Sciences Building.

“Dr. Wertheimer will address a topic that is timely and relevant to campus life,” said Mark Wicclair, professor of philosophy at WVU.

“He has written a book on the subject of consent to sexual relations, and the WVU community will have a unique opportunity to learn from a distinguished scholar how the tools of philosophical analysis can provide practical guidance about an important real-life issue.”

During his lecture, Wertheimer will examine the question, “Is it morally permissible for a person to have sexual relations with another person who consents while intoxicated?” He will present both sides of the argument. For instance, a person may not be of sound mind to give consent while intoxicated. However, people are constantly held responsible for other choices they make while under the influence of alcohol, like drinking and driving or more serious offenses like assault and murder.

Wertheimer is a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Vermont and a senior research scholar in the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health. He was previously a visiting professor of public policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Wertheimer is the author of three books, including, “Consent to Sex,” which addresses the legal and ethical considerations surrounding the topic of consent and sexual relations.

This event is sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.

For more information, contact Mark Wicclair, professor of philosophy, at (304) 293-3641 ext. 33309 or mwicclai@wvu.edu.

-WVU-

aw/9/1/10

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