Seeking Desire: Reflections on Blackburn’s Lust
Social Philosophy Today, Vol. 22, pp. 219-230, 2007
18 Pages Posted: 7 Dec 2011
Date Written: September 1, 2005
Abstract
This paper is a critical discussion of Simon Blackburn's recent work on lust. Blackburn develops a view on which lust is decent only when part of a pure mutuality in sex, and is best left alone -- we ought not tamper with its "freedom of flow." I argue that this treatment, which I believe reflects commonly held views, fails in several ways. First, it does not square with the fact that we pursue lust as a good in itself. Second, pure mutuality is hard to come by and almost impossible to recognize, so Blackburn's account is more restrictive than it may seem. Third, on such a view, masturbation is morally sanctioned only insofar as it mimics real sex; this doesn't seem right. Finally, such a perspective fits ill with some recent research on the biology of lust in women.
Keywords: lust, Simon Blackburn, sexual desire
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