Homosexuality. First published Tue Aug 6, 2002; substantive revision Fri Feb 11, 2011 The term ‘homosexuality’ was coined in the late 19th century by a German psychologist, Karoly Maria Benkert.
Although the term is new, discussions about sexuality in general, and same-sex attraction in particular, have occasioned philosophical discussion ranging from Plato's Symposium to contemporary queer theory. Since the history of cultural understandings of same-sex attraction is relevant to the philosophical issues raised by those understandings, it is necessary to review briefly some of the social history of homosexuality. Arising out of this history, at least in the West, is the idea of natural law and some interpretations of that law as forbidding homosexual sex. References to natural law still play an important role in contemporary debates about homosexuality in religion, politics, and even courtrooms. The Five Precepts, The Eight and Ten Precepts.