I’m wondering what you all think. What is nature’s purpose for sex? I think nature intended sex for procreation. I base this on the physiology of the act.
When man has an orgasm, he ejaculates a fluid known as semen. Within the semen are sperm, which are reproductive cells. The sperm are ½ of the component necessary to create human life within the female body.
What I find so interesting is that the semen is forced out of the man’s body, propelled by the contractions he has during his orgasm. Nature is using pleasure to propel reproductive cells out of the man’s body! The only way our species can continue is if the semen/sperm leaves the man’s body and enters the woman’s body. Nature uses the pleasure of sex to accomplish this.
Here’s a question I got recently:
If it’s nature’s way, why doesn’t the female orgasm play a part in reproduction?
One school of thought is that the female orgasm is a vestige, much like male nipples, and does NOT play a part in reproduction.
You can read more in an interesting article at the Washington Post, (thank you Mark for that link) or you can read excerpts of The Case of the Female Orgasm online at Google Books.
Another school of thought holds that the female orgasm IS linked to reproduction. The author of Sex, Time and Power gives us this synopsis:
“I propose that the human female orgasm was an evolutionary prize awarded to women because Gyna sapiens {the author’s name for female humans} became the first female to learn of copulation’s onerous and even deadly price. The intense pleasure of her orgasm gave her powerful incentive to keep re-engaging in sex. Also, by enabling women to gain access to an important alternative means of evaluating a man’s character, orgasm provided them with a valuable tool for making better choices among potential mates.”
So we have two different schools of thought on the female orgasm. Regardless of which is true, it still does not diminish the fact that the male orgasm is an essential link to procreation.
Questions for Your Consideration
1. Does it REALLY matter why nature evolved sex? What’s the big deal, why should we care?
2. If nature evolved sex for procreation, what are the possible outcomes when we use sex purely for recreation? What is our responsibility regarding those outcomes?
3. Do you know people who are ignorant of nature’s purpose for sex? Is their ignorance a good thing, or does it harm them somehow?
4. Imagine a future where scientists are able to remove all outcomes from sex except pleasure. For example, 100% total removal of pregnancy, std’s, etc. Is this possible? Is it desirable?
5. If scientists can do this, will nature respond? If so, how? Is it possible that nature has its own agenda?