Sex and Human Uniqueness

Many people (most notably, religious folk) maintain that humans are categorically distinct from all other animals (i.e. mere beasts).  Of course, Darwin destroyed the notion that species are real and distinct categories, showing instead that they are simply artificial categories which are useful for understanding the continuous spectrum of evolved life.  Not to be undone, Pope John Paul II posited the existence of an ontological discontinuity along this spectrum between "human" and "beast."  That is to say, though there is no physical discontinuity between "human" and "beast," there may very well be a spiritual discontinuity.  As a spiritual being, therefore, humans are categorically distinct from all other animals.

It generally follows from this claim that humans are to behave differently from all other animals (perhaps because something different is expected of us).  A favorite claim (usually religious) is that human sexuality should not resemble the sexuality of beasts.  Human sexuality should be enjoyed exclusively within marriage.  Human sexuality should be reproductive-in-type (cf. Robert George).  Human sexuality should not be a wanton pleasure.

Perhaps I'm constructing a straw man, but I just don't see how these claims regarding human sexuality can follow from the claim that humans should behave differently from all other animals.  For the vast majority of animals, sex occurs exclusively among mating pairs (is "mating" not the animal analog of "marriage"?).  The vast majority of animals engage exclusively in reproductive-type sex.  The vast majority of animals know nothing of having sex solely for pleasure.  One exception to these three claims is the bonobo.  Individuals of this species regularly engage in non-reproductive-type sex (both homo- and heterosexual) with non-mating partners for the sake of pleasure.  With this in mind, it seems to me that if humans should behave differently than beasts, then we would do better to act more like the bonobo than other animals when it comes to sex.  One simply can't argue from the premise that humans are categorically distinct from beasts that human sexuality should be "dignified," restricted to marriage and reproduction.

To be sure, I don't mean to argue that truly "dignified" humans are the ones engaging in orgies on a daily basis.  Put another way, my purpose here is not to trivialize humans or sex.  I think both are worth much respect and thought.  Instead, I would argue that human sexuality in all its forms, not simply its reproductive form, should be considered a component of what makes humans so unique.  After all, human sexuality in all its forms is one way of distinguishing ourselves from most other animals.  Therefore, rather than demonizing homosexuals, non-monogamists, fetishists, and those who have sex before marriage as behaving contrary to human nature, I would suggest we champion these people as reminders of the human uniqueness.