Levi, The definition of the institution of marriage has stood for over 4000 years. If that's merely arbitrary then every word is arbitrary since. Hence the living and breathing approach to language now, or what I am glad to call the disrespect and ruinous attitude toward language. You would do well to look up the difference between an explanation and an argument. You've given an explanation. Socrates is a man. Men are mortal. Therefore, Socrates is mortal. This is an argument, but given your understanding above, you'd think this is circular, and so every deductive argument would then beg the question. Another example: 1. Bob is an unmarried male 2. A bachelor is an unmarried male 3. Therefore, Bob is a bachelor. Another perfectly fine argument that is sound, not circular in reasoning or any other fallacy. That's a lot to correct something almost irrelevant but perhaps worth it. Why don't you tell us why the definition should change? Why do you think the institution was in place from the beginning and has lasted since time immemorial? You and others act like it was just dreamed up recently in order to discriminate. The institution of marriage holds a mother and father accountable to each other and to provide for the well-being of any progeny from that relationship, regardless whether the relationship is or continues to be amorous or not. Since there can be no progeny from the amorous relationship of two males and two females, the institution/contract of marriage does not apply. Now that's why the definition is what it is. Until the recent undefining of marriage, a brother couldn't marry a brother, nor marry his sister. It's clear that the reason it was unlawful to marry his sister was because of the deleterious genetic effects. But if that remains the only reason/case to not allow close relatives to marry (with the natural end being procreation), and since two gay male cousins' love cannot result in children, then by this new definition (whatever it is isn't even clear today), they should be allowed to marry. Brock is ok with that and with plural marriage, but says traditionalists are "without a conscience." Good grief.