Sexual Desire: A Philosophical Investigation'A dazzling treatise, as erudite and eloquent as Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex and considerably more sound in its conclusion' - TLS When John desires Mary or Mary desires John, what does either of them want? What is meant by innocence, passion, love and arousal, desire, perversion and shame? These are just a few of the questions Roger Scruton addresses in this thought-provoking intellectual adventure. Beginning from purely philosophical premises, and ranging over human life, art and institutions, he surveys the entire field of sexuality; equally dissatisfied with puritanism and permissiveness, he argues for a radical break with recent theories. Upholding traditional morality - though in terms that may shock many of its practitioners - his argument gravitates to that which is candid, serene and consoling in the experience of sexual love. |
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action aim of desire animal another’s answer argued argument attempt beauty behaviour believe biological bodily body Chapter condition consciousness described disposition distinction E. O. Wilson embodiment emotion erotic love esteem example existence experience explain expression fact fantasy feature feel first-person perspective flesh freedom Freud friendship fulfilment G. E. M. Anscombe Havelock Ellis Hence homosexual human human sexual idea identify illusion important impulse incest individual intentional understanding intentionality of desire interpersonal attitudes involves jealousy Kant Kant’s Kantian kind language Lebenswelt libido London marriage masturbation meaning mental merely metaphysical nature necrophilia normal object of desire obscene one’s other’s pain paradox particular perceived perception person perversion phenomenology philosophers pleasure precisely private object question rational reality reason recognise reference relation response sado-masochism sensations sense sexual act sexual arousal sexual desire sexual morality shame social sociobiology theory things thought transcendental true truth unity virtue woman words