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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.
From the Publisher
'A dazzling treatise, as erudite and eloquent as Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex, and considerably more sound in its conclusion' TLS. 'Will take an honourable place in the history of ideas. It should be in every self-respecting library. A gallant and courageous book' British Book News
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Scruton has a reputation for being a bit of an old fart (one which he gleefully fosters, mind) and I wasn't sure what I'd find here. Actually it's really interesting and a very different view of the relationships between individuals to the ones you are used to. Though a serious philosophical text, Scruton uses the most accessible language he can, and I'd say it is suitable for the general reader with academic tastes, as well as for students from A level up.
I won't go into detail about Scruton's long and many-splendoured text. He ranges over a vast field, taking in every relevant aspect of human experience, and looking in some depth at the cultural phenomenom of romatntic love, as well as giving us his own view of the work of Freud. There is an enormous amount of rewarding reading here, and I recommend you pace yourself and allow plenty of time for reflection.
Scruton has his own original work here, as well as insight into that of others. Suffice to say that, while his argument is very seductive, you will almost certainly disagree with many of his conclusions. Nothing wrong with that; it doesn't do us good to always read stuff we agree with. Scruton takes a surprisingly existential view, and desire rather than any other aspect of the reproductive urge is at the core of his discussion. He defines it as something which occurs between the Self and the Other, examining ways this is possible, and contrasts it with forms of response which are in fact a dialogue between the Self and something else, a chimaera; many responses, he argues, are between the Self and fantasy creations, projected aspects of the Self, and other 'unreal' love objects. These, to him are all inauthentic and mistaken forms of the impulse. The way this thesis takes him, leads him to dismiss as invalid many forms of relationship between individuals which most of us would assume to be genuine; this is why you are unlikely to agree with him.
There is a great deal of fascinating stuff along the way; it is, though far from salatious, by no means a dull read. You may be irritated, even indignant, but you will never be bored. If you are off on a long flight and don't fancy the latest Dan Brown, masterpiece, this will keep you amused, intrigued, surprised and stimulated.
I won't go into detail about Scruton's long and many-splendoured text. He ranges over a vast field, taking in every relevant aspect of human experience, and looking in some depth at the cultural phenomenom of romatntic love, as well as giving us his own view of the work of Freud. There is an enormous amount of rewarding reading here, and I recommend you pace yourself and allow plenty of time for reflection.
Scruton has his own original work here, as well as insight into that of others. Suffice to say that, while his argument is very seductive, you will almost certainly disagree with many of his conclusions. Nothing wrong with that; it doesn't do us good to always read stuff we agree with. Scruton takes a surprisingly existential view, and desire rather than any other aspect of the reproductive urge is at the core of his discussion. He defines it as something which occurs between the Self and the Other, examining ways this is possible, and contrasts it with forms of response which are in fact a dialogue between the Self and something else, a chimaera; many responses, he argues, are between the Self and fantasy creations, projected aspects of the Self, and other 'unreal' love objects. These, to him are all inauthentic and mistaken forms of the impulse. The way this thesis takes him, leads him to dismiss as invalid many forms of relationship between individuals which most of us would assume to be genuine; this is why you are unlikely to agree with him.
There is a great deal of fascinating stuff along the way; it is, though far from salatious, by no means a dull read. You may be irritated, even indignant, but you will never be bored. If you are off on a long flight and don't fancy the latest Dan Brown, masterpiece, this will keep you amused, intrigued, surprised and stimulated.
1 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
One wonders what kind of lovers philosophers make, especially after reading this book. Wow, its tough going, and there's lots of it. It might be cruel to say that if ever there was a passion killer, it must be a book like this which dissects in the greatest detail the emotions surrounding sex. Certainly dont buy this if you think it might work as an erotic prelude to read to your girlfriend in bed. However, over a career of adult sexual life most of us ask ourselves the kind of questions Scruton sets out to answer in his book..... what is love, whats the purpose of our sexual instincts and much much more. I dont know if philosophers are research-based but Scruton doesn't give much away in terms of whether his musings are based on speculation, a series of one, or multi-subject prospective studies. What we really need for a book like this is a man with the brain of Einstein and the body of Schwarzenegger, but instead we get a gentle English intellectual telling us all about the philosophy of sex and one wonders if the story would be the same if written by an author from another culture, for example Umberto Eco. So, if you've got 14 days on a beach and want passing folk of the opposite gender to think you must be worth chatting up when they see the cover held up, then buy this book. Its also good for killing the biggest cockroaches but it certainly will take some digesting before you can apply it to human interaction in the bedroom. Try Alain de Botton if you want an easier author on the same subject
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
18 of 27 people found the following review helpful
making a moral sexual primer
13 May 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.
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.
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