Sexual Desire: A Philosophical Investigation

Front Cover
Phoenix, 1994 - Sensuality - 428 pages

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 premisses, and ranging over human life, art and institutions, he surveys the whole field of sexuality; equally dissatisfied with puritanism and permissiveness, he argues for a radical break with recent theories.

Upholding traditional sexual 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..

Other editions - View all

About the author (1994)

Roger Scruton was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge and was until 1990 Professor of Aesthetics at Birkbeck College, London.

Bibliographic information