Diseased legacy of ‘mechanistic’ approach to sex

BOTH Thomas McCarthy & Letitia MacSweeney, in their intemperate attack on Dr Florence Craven (Letters, April 29) illustrate exactly the wisdom of the latter’s insight.

It’s obvious that they unthinkingly accept the kind of tired, old-fashioned liberal/feminist dogma in relation to sexuality which has been implemented with gusto in the US and Britain since the late 1960s/early ‘70s.

From these two jurisdictions alone it can be stated truly that in view of the huge increases in teenage pregnancies, abortions, sexually transmitted diseases, etc, the jury is well and truly in. It has to be admitted the verdict is much more favourable to Dr Craven’s maligned “conservative” viewpoint than to that of her detractors.

Human sexuality is a complex matter and dealing with it is always going to be an imperfect science.

Nevertheless the evidence clearly shows that the purely mechanistic approach to the issue, as advocated by Mr McCarthy and Ms Sweeney, is guaranteed to give the worst possible outcome.

Eric Conway.

Balreask Village

Navan

Co Meath