Share <Embed>

Buy New

$34.16

List Price: $39.95
Save: $5.79 (14%)

$34.16 + Free Shipping

In stock.

Ships from and sold by Wordery Specialist.

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

Get it as soon as Nov. 8 - 21 when you choose Standard Shipping at checkout.

Select delivery location

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Other Sellers on Amazon

Add to Cart

$30.71
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: Blackwell's U.K. *Tracked Service to the USA*

Add to Cart

$39.95
& FREE Shipping on eligible orders. Details

Sold by: Amazon.com

Add to Cart

$43.80
+ $3.75 shipping

Sold by: Manor26

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 3 images

Sexual Desire: A Philosophical Investigation Paperback – January 6, 2006

by Roger Scruton (Author)

5 customer reviews

See all 5 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Paperback

"Please retry"

$34.16

$29.21

$32.00

Paperback
$34.16 18 Used from $32.00 20 New from $29.21

A dazzling treatise, as erudite and eloquent as Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex and considerably more sound in its conclusion - TLS

"He is an eloquent and practised writer" - The Independent (UK)

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.

Frequently bought together

Total price: $57.74

These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers. Show details

Buy the selected items together

This item:Sexual Desire: A Philosophical Investigation by Roger Scruton Paperback $34.16
In stock.
Ships from and sold by Wordery Specialist.
Fools, Frauds and Firebrands: Thinkers of the New Left by Roger Scruton Paperback $12.23
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Beauty: A Very Short Introduction by Roger Scruton Paperback $11.35
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Roger Scruton

55

Paperback
$11.35
Roger Scruton

9

Hardcover
$16.50
Roger Scruton

76

Paperback
$12.23
Roger Scruton

28

Paperback
$20.38
Roger Scruton

11

Paperback
$22.86
Roger Scruton

15

Hardcover
$16.11

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sir Roger Scruton is a writer and philosopher who has published more than forty books in philosophy, aesthetics and politics. He is widely translated. He is a fellow of the British Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He teaches in both England and America and is a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington D.C. He is currently teaching an MA in Philosophy for the University of Buckingham.

Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Continuum; New Ed edition (January 6, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0826480381
ISBN-13: 978-0826480385
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.9 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 5 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #884,475 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1461 in Books > Medical Books > Psychology > Sexuality
- #2196 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Psychology & Counseling > Sexuality
- #2265 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Modern

Would you like to tell us about a lower price?
If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?

Be the first video

Your name here

5 customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars

5 star

4 star

3 star (0%)

2 star (0%)

1 star (0%)

Review this product

Write a customer review

Showing 1-5 of 5 reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Darryl L Meyers

Scruton is a wonderful philosopher if philosophy is defined

January 20, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Scruton remarks early on that philosophers have avoided the analysis of sexual desire nearly as much as they have avoided the experience thereof. This is a book proposing that both efforts are well worth it; and, while this seems to me an uneven work, it deserves five stars for the effort and for the early, phenomenologic analysis of desire. Scruton manages to salvage the important parts of Sartre's analysis of the self and other and their interaction though the intentionality of desire; further, he does so in limpid prose without seeking refuge in ponderous, opaque terminology. Scruton is a wonderful philosopher if philosophy is defined, as he defines it, as the "art of second glances." In this example of Scruton's art, he both analyzes desire and restores its meaning in human terms, all while showing charity toward his philosophic opponents. This is philosophy in its best sense. Nevertheless, if you are new to Scruton, start on something else--Uses of Pessimism, How to be a Conservative, etc.--but if you have gone through other works, this is a worthy read.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Joan Crane

Five Stars

May 9, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

happy with product.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

P. Customer

Five Stars

April 16, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Best philosophical work on this topic I have read

2 people found this helpful3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

making a moral sexual primer

May 12, 2007

Format: Paperback

sexual desire is that force which attracts one person to another person, the two marry in a legal ceremony performed within a church. sexual desire resides within the marriage. the couple have children and educate them in, among other lessons, the social construct of sexual desire.

for adults, that sexual education continues as a philosophical investigation by roger scruton. a highly entertaining, and provocative, read for students of philosophy, taking in philosophical ideas from platonic love to wittgensteinian forms of life.

scruton writes that the general reader can follow his argument, except for the difficult passages found in the two appendix and chapter three. for philosophy students, those interested in g.e.m. anscombe, you don't want to skip chapter three.

here's what scruton says about his investigation in chapter one, the problem: it needs little observation to recognize that our civilization has suffered a profound crisis in sexual behaviour and in sexual morality. ... it seems to me inevitable that sexual conduct should be encumbered with moral scruples. i also believe that many of these scruples are justifiable, and that the failure to see this stems from a mistaken conception of the nature of desire. hence my first task will be one of description: what is sexual desire as a phenomenon of human experience? i shall then try to sketch a sexual morality, whose basis will be located, not in religious belief, but in human nature, and i shall rely upon the general strategy explored by aristotle in the nicomachaen ethics, in order to pass from the facts of human nature to the morality which they imply. ... the problem of sexual desire becomes, in the end, a political problem, and the somewhat conservative moral conclusions that i shall defend must be seen as part of the larger political conservativism which they already imply, and for which they provide, indeed, one of the deepest justifications-a justification that stems from the inner quality of the most private human experience.'

after reading chapter one, i seriously wondered if sexual activities would be perceived still as fun or as a moral duty of which nietzsche said: happiness is not important, what's important is getting the work done.

personally, i could have done without the political premise and conclusion. using philosophy to push an agenda, usually makes for bad philosophy, and there's plenty of good philosophy in scruton's book.

but maybe scruton is right, we've brought it upon ourselves, sexually we've gotten out of hand and as a consequence of our bad behaviour our sexual desire must be grounded. then sent to bed.

33 people found this helpful34 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Dominic Gibson

An infinite star award for this essential reading

February 23, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

After a number of years I remain a long way from finishing this book. That is due to my lifestyle and not Roger's text. This is a very important work. Where I have got to is too philosophical for my abilities but I want to stick with it and learn. And he comes down on the side of monogamy which is not my position. But he has stated some insightful truths about desire which I have applied in recent years during my hiatus in reading his book. Dominic

As Jay-Z and Kanye West rap in "No Church in the Wild"
"Thinking 'bout the girl in all leopard
Who was rubbing the wood like Kiki Shepherd
Two tattoos: one read "No Apologies"
The other said "Love Is Cursed by Monogamy"
It’s something that the pastor don’t preach
It’s something that a teacher can’t teach
When we die the money we can’t keep
But we probably spend it all cause the pain ain’t cheap: preach"
[...]
Dominic

No Church In The Wild
[...]
Buy it Now! [...] Music video by Jay-Z & Kanye West performing No Church In The Wild feat. Frank Ocean & The-Dream. © 2012 Roc-A-Fella Reco...

One person found this helpful2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway

This item: Sexual Desire: A Philosophical Investigation

Set up a giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Roger Scruton

55

Paperback
$11.35
Roger Scruton

34

Paperback
$14.18
Roger Scruton

15

Paperback
$10.81
Roger Scruton

2

Hardcover
32 offers from $38.68
Roger Scruton

9

Hardcover
$16.50
Roger Scruton

76

Paperback
$12.23

Buy New

$34.16

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

Other Sellers on Amazon

Sexual Desire: A Philosophical Investigation Paperback – January 6, 2006

Frequently bought together

Customers who bought this item also bought

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Product details

Related Video Shorts (0)

Be the first video

5 customer reviews

Review this product

Showing 1-5 of 5 reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Buy New $34.16

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

Sorry, there was a problem.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Other Sellers on Amazon

Sexual Desire: A Philosophical Investigation Paperback – January 6, 2006

Frequently bought together

Customers who bought this item also bought

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Product details

Related Video Shorts (0)

Be the first video

5 customer reviews

Review this product

Showing 1-5 of 5 reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Buy New

$34.16