1) Clearly the authors of this book feel that marriage is something that should be actively promoted (e.g., by government, business, religious institutions etc.). What do you think about this? Is marriage a purely individual decision or does society at large have some role in regulating/promoting marriage?
2) What is the basic point the authors are making? How does marriage improve people's well-being? How does this relationship differ for men and for women?
3) What do you think of the authors' overall message? Do you find the evidence compelling? Do you find it flawed? If so, how?
4) The authors' writing contains a lot of religious overtones (e.g., "sacred vows," "holy matrimony" the "miracles" of marriage, etc.) - what is the role of religion in their argument? Is there some important role of religion in their argument or is the religious terminology mostly "decorative?"
5) We have talked about the relationship between cohabitation and marriage this semester. The authors take a very sharp view of how cohabitation should be viewed vis-a-vis marriage (pp. 30-31). In the context of our earlier discussions on the subject, what do you think about this portrayal of cohabitation?
6) Describe a study that suggests that marriage (especially good marriages) has a biological association with physical health. What do you make of this evidence? Is the authors' interpretation convincing? Why or why not?