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Sexual Desire: A Philosophical Investigation Paperback – June 1, 2006

by Roger Scruton (Author)

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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.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Professor Roger Scruton is visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, Senior Research Fellow at Blackfriars Hall Oxford and visiting Research Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of St Andrews. His other books include Sexual Desire, The West and the Rest, England: An Elegy, News from Somewhere, Gentle Regrets and I Drink Therefore I Am (all published by Continuum).

Product details

Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic; New Ed edition (June 1, 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: 3 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #904,925 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1278 in Books > Medical Books > Psychology > Sexuality
- #1937 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Psychology & Counseling > Sexuality
- #2016 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Modern

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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.

0Comment 32 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

April 16, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Best philosophical work on this topic I have read

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

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

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"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
[...]
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0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

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