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“All men by nature desire to know. An indication of this is the delight we take in our senses.” So Aristotle. Jonathan Lear glosses: “That we take pleasure in the sheer exercise of our sensory faculties is a sign that we do have a desire for knowledge.”

Obviously, Aristotle is talking about the pleasures we derive from beautiful landscapes, sunsets, paintings; the ecstasies of listening to a string quartet; the transport of aroma; the sensuality of taste and touch. Our most common and basic knowing of the world is all bound up with delight.

Isn’t this reason enough to be suspicious of – if not to reject outright – any epistemology that puts desire and pleasure on the back burner?

posted by Peter J. Leithart on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 1:38 pm

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Philosophy: Desire and knowledge

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Philosophy: Desire and knowledge

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