Roger Scruton Books

In this astonishing new book, Roger Scruton argues that to understand adequately the roots of Islamic terrorism, one must understand both the unique historical evolution of the state and the dynamic of globalization.With extraordinary perception, Scruton reveals the philosophical and theological roots of the current clash of civilizations. He addresses issues such as the conflict between Islam and secular law, notions of citizenship, fulfilling the human need for belonging, and why globalization provokes such an apparent desire for revenge against the West in some Islamic minds. Scruton's sober, well-informed narrative raises fundamental questions about the West's ability to recover and defend its own religious heritage while delimiting the harmful effects of its decadent hyper-individualism and the culture of repudiation it has sparked both within its own societies and the societies it touches. Finally, Scruton calls for the West to re-examine some of its assumptions about such matters as immigration, multiculturalism, progress and prosperity.

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.

Seeks to rebut the atheist point of view that puts science at odds with religion, and explores how this view is the leading source of doubt in the world.

In this poignant and personal tribute Roger Scruton gives an account of England which is both an illuminating analysis of its institutions and culture, and a celebration of its virtues. Covering all aspects of the English inheritance, and informed by a unique philosophical vision, England: An Elegy shows that there is such a country as England, that it has a distinct personality and endows its residents with a distinct moral ideal.

Philosopher Roger Scruton was the leading conservative thinker of the post-war years. His public pronouncements were prophetic and provocative. Dooley, Scruton's literary executor, has assembled the best of Scruton's essays and commentaries, arranged thematically. Writing with passion and conviction, Scruton takes aim at those who defy conservative common sense in favor of liberal falsehoods.

A revised edition of the Notting Hill Editions essay collection by the late Sir Roger Scruton with a new introduction by Douglas Murray. Confessions of a Heretic is a collection of provocative essays by the influential social commentator and polemicist Roger Scruton. Each “confession” reveals aspects of the author’s thinking that his critics would probably have advised him to keep to himself. In this selection, covering subjects from art and architecture to politics and nature conservation, Scruton challenges popular opinion on key aspects of our culture: What can we do to protect Western values against Islamist extremism? How can we nurture real friendship through social media? Why is the nation-state worth preserving? How should we achieve a timely death against the advances of modern medicine? This provocative collection seeks to answer the most pressing problems of our age. In his introduction, the bestselling author and commentator Douglas Murray writes of what it cost Scruton to express views considered unpalatable, and of the importance of these ideas after Scruton’s death.

Roger Scruton is one of Britain's most respected thinkers and in this new book he offers a radically different solution to the planet's most important problem.

"In The Soul of the World, renowned philosopher Roger Scruton defends the experience of the sacred against today's fashionable forms of atheism. He argues that our personal relationships, moral intuitions, and aesthetic judgments hint at a transcendent dimension that cannot be understood through the lens of science alone."--Jacket.

A tale of forbidden love and inevitable death, the medieval legend of Tristan and Isolde recounts the story of two lovers unknowingly drinking a magic potion and ultimately dying in one another's arms. While critics have lauded Wagner's Tristan and Isolde for the originality and subtlety of the music, they have denounced the drama as a "mere trifle"--a rendering of Wagner's forbidden love for Matilde Wesendonck, the wife of a banker who supported him during his exile in Switzerland.Death-Devoted Heart explodes this established interpretation, proving the drama to be more than just a sublimation of the composer's love for Wesendonck or a wistful romantic dream. Scruton boldly attests that Tristan and Isolde has profound religious meaning and remains as relevant today as it was to Wagner's contemporaries. He also offers keen insight into the nature of erotic love, the sacred qualities of human passion, and the peculiar place of the erotic in our culture. His argument touches on the nature of tragedy, the significance of ritual sacrifice, and the meaning of redemption, providing a fresh interpretation of Wagner's masterpiece. Roger Scruton has written an original and provocative account of Wagner's music drama, which blends philosophy, criticism, and musicology in order to show the work's importance in the twenty-first century.

Roger Scruton presents a lively exploration of philosophy, covering topics from logic to aesthetics while making the subject accessible and relevant to everyday life. He moves beyond traditional academic boundaries to reclaim philosophy for practical and worldly concerns, encouraging readers to engage in stimulating debates about its implications and applications.

After reading this book, only the most unadventurous reader would turn down the chance to see Wagner's masterpiece. Economist

Roger Scruton looks at where Britain has found itself, and ponders where it should go next. Addressing one of the most politically turbulent periods in modern British history, philosopher Roger Scruton asks how, in these circumstances, we can come to define our identity, and what in the coming years will hold us together. To what are our duties owed and why? How do we respond to the pull of globalization and mass migration, to the rise of Islam, and to the decline of Christian belief? Do we accept these as inevitable or do we resist them? If we resist them on what basis do we build? This book sets out to answer these questions, and to understand the volatile moment in which we live. Roger Scruton slices characteristically through the fog of debate with this sensible and profound account of the collective British identity; essential reading for anyone interested in what it means to be British, what that might come to mean in future, and who wonders how we can define our place in a rapidly changing world.

Paperback reissue, with a new introduction by the author.

What does it mean to be a conservative in an age so skeptical of conservatism? How can we live in the presence of our 'canonized forefathers' at a time when their cultural, religious and political bequest is so routinely rejected? With soft left-liberalism as the dominant force in Western politics, what can conservatives now contribute to public debate that will not be dismissed as pure nostalgia? In this highly personal and witty book, renowned philosopher Roger Scruton explains how to live as a conservative in spite of the pressures to exist otherwise. Drawing on his own experience as a counter-cultural presence in public life, Scruton argues that while humanity might survive in the absence of the conservative outlook, it certainly won't flourish. How to be a Conservative is not only a blueprint for modern conservatism. It is a heartfelt appeal on behalf of old fashioned decencies and values, which are the bedrock of our weakened, but still enduring, civilization.

A revised edition of a political dictionary, first published in 1982, which covers recent changes such as the collapse of Communism, the rise of nationalism in Eastern Europe and continued integration in Western Europe.

This book presents a theory of aesthetic judgment and appreciation in the spirit of modern empiricism. There are three parts: the first deals with questions of philosophical logic, the second with questions in the philosophy of mind, and the third with questions in the philosophy of art. Thus the argument advances from a theory of aesthetic judgment (and in particular of "aesthetic description"), to a theory of aesthetic appreciation, and thence to an account of the nature and value of art.

Roger Scruton looks at the central ideas of conservatism over the centuries. He examines conservative thinking on civil society, the rule of law and the role of the state on the one hand; and freedom (including freedom of expression and association), morality, equality, property and rights on the other. He traces the origins and development of the conservative ideology in the philosophies and thoughts of, among others, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, Edmund Burke, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, John Ruskin, Michael Oakeshott, Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman and Robert Nozick. He shows how conservative ideas have worked out in the politics and policies of leading figures people such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Disraeli, the Earl of Salisbury, Calvin Coolidge, Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. He also looks closely at the degree to which capitalism and free markets have been, and are integral to, conservative ideology and politics in the UK and in the USA. Professor Scruton's clear, incisive guide is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the politics and policies of the west now and over the last three centuries.

We are familiar with the medical opinion that a daily glass of wine is good for the health and also the rival opinion that any more than a glass or two will set us on the road to ruin. Whether or not good for the body, Scruton argues, wine, drunk in the right frame of mind, is definitely good for the soul. And there is no better accompaniment to wine than philosophy. By thinking with wine, you can learn not only to drink in thoughts but to think in draughts. This good-humoured book offers an antidote to the pretentious clap-trap that is written about wine today and a profound apology for the drink on which civilisation has been founded. In vino veritas.

This short but penetrating book, shows us how Wagner achieves this profound work, explaining the story, its musical ideas, and their coming together into a sublime whole which gives us the musical equivalent of forgiveness and closure

"Beauty can be consoling, disturbing, sacred, profane," writes Roger Scruton, who delves into this timeless concept in a beautifully crafted text. He explores what makes an object—whether in art, nature, or the human form—beautiful. This compact volume is rich with insights, offering original thoughts on nearly every page. Scruton raises questions about dangerous, corrupting, and immoral beauties, citing the prose of Flaubert, the imagery of Baudelaire, and the harmonies of Wagner, all of which have faced accusations of immorality for their alluring depictions of wickedness. He compares the beauty of a classical temple to that of a concrete office block and a Rembrandt to an Andy Warhol Campbell Soup Can, pondering whether certain artworks can ravish when they should disturb. While debates about beauty abound, Scruton asserts that beauty is a real and universal value, rooted in our rational nature, and plays a crucial role in shaping the human experience. This forthright and thought-provoking meditation on beauty is both accessible and stimulating, drawing conclusions that may be controversial but ultimately guide us toward a deeper appreciation of the beautiful objects in our lives.

The author purports that unchecked optimism can be dangerous, and healthy pessimism favors a balanced appraisal of society and human nature.

This collection of essays explores the philosophy of art, testing and developing a theory of aesthetic judgment through specific examples. Each essay addresses key aesthetic questions, particularly the nature and significance of aesthetic experience in human conduct. The book is structured into four parts. The first part summarizes modern analytical aesthetics and introduces subsequent chapters, including a review of contemporary literary criticism. The second part focuses on musical aesthetics, presenting the theoretical core of the work, where the author articulates the nature of aesthetic understanding and defends the inherent significance of aesthetic experiences, even when lacking describable content. He challenges the notion that music is representational and, in the third part, proposes a theory of representation to counter the idea that photography is a representational art, also examining film. The final section connects aesthetic judgment to broader cultural themes, humor, and design, discussing various subjects, including Samuel Beckett's prose and Leninist architecture. Collectively, these essays aim to provide analytical foundations for the criticism of literature, visual art, music, and culture, forming a cohesive intellectual endeavor.

What is culture? Why should we preserve it, and how? In this book, renowned philosopher Roger Scruton defends Western culture against its internal critics and external enemies, and argues that rumors of its death are seriously exaggerated. He shows our culture to be a continuing source of moral knowledge, and rebuts the fashionable sarcasm that sees it as nothing more than the useless legacy of "dead white European males." Ranging widely over the arts and philosophy, Scruton defends what Eliot called "the common pursuit of true judgement" against the dismissive attacks of the new academicians. In his striking account of music and its role in moral education, he defends the classical tradition as well as the American popular song, and points to the damage done to the psyche by the new forms of pop. He is robust in defense of traditional architecture and figurative painting; critical of the fashionable relativists, such as Michel Foucault, Edward Said and Richard Rorty; and urgent in his plea for our civilization, which more than ever stands in need of the self-knowledge and self-confidence that are the gift of serious culture.

German Philosophers contains studies of four of the most important German theorists: Kant, arguably the most influential modern philosopher; Hegel, whose philosophy inspired an enduring vision of a communist society; Schopenhauer, renowned for his pessimistic preference for non-existence; and Nietzsche, who has been appropriated as an icon by an astonishingly diverse spectrum of people. schovat popis

“It is a great pity that we in the United States do not have our own Roger Scruton. As his . . . collection of essays reminds us, he is an accomplished philosopher who writes trenchantly about many important political, social and religious issues, who carespassionately about art and culture and who is also a brilliant conservative polemicist. . . . “Mr. Scruton has two great virtues as a critic. One is his ability to combine a delicate appreciation of culture with the robust analytical skills of a trained philosopher. . . . “Mr. Scruton’s other great virtue is his habit of assessing things from the inside,taking them on their own terms. If his judgments are often harsh, one nevertheless comes away feeling that he has made the best case possible for his subject. This makes his criticism more devastating yet also more generous than the criticism of most other commentator.” – Roger Kimball, New York Times Book Review“Each essay has been constructed with considerable care, and the positions taken are clearly stated and soundly argued. . . . He shows . . . that the philosopher-critic is alive and well. . . . Recommended for all academic libraries.” – Library Journal“[Scruton] writes eloquently of the way in which social bonds, if refashioned in contractual form. ‘become profane, a system of façade, a Disneyland version of what was formerly dignified and monumental.’” – Peter Clarke, London Review of Books

The book presents a compelling critique of optimism and idealism, asserting that these attitudes have led to significant societal damage. Scruton argues for a shift towards a humane pessimism, which he believes can provide a more realistic and constructive framework for understanding the world. By challenging the prevailing narratives from both the left and right, he advocates for a more grounded approach to addressing complex issues, emphasizing the need for rationality over unchecked exuberance.

A devastating critique of modern left-wing thinking from a leading political philosopher. In Fools, Frauds and Firebrands, philosopher Roger Scruton, one of the leading critics of leftist orientations in modern Western civilization, examines the thinkers who have been most influential on the attitudes of the New Left. What does the Left look like today, he asks, and how has it evolved? Is there any foundation for resistance to its agenda without religious faith? Scruton begins with a ruthless analysis of New Leftism and concludes with a critique of the key strands in its thinking. He conducts a reappraisal of such major left-wing thinkers as: E. P. Thompson, Ronald Dworkin, R. D. Laing, Jurgen Habermas, Gyorgy Lukacs, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jacques Derrida, Slavoj Zizek, Ralph Milliband and Eric Hobsbawm. Scruton's exploration of these important issues is written with skill, perception and at all times with pellucid clarity. In addition to assessments of these thinkers' philosophical and political contributions, the book contains a biographical and bibliographical section summarizing their careers and most important writings.

Book Description: First published in 1980, this contribution to political thought is a statement of the traditional conservative position. Roger Scruton challenges those who would regard themselves as conservatives, and also their opponents. Conservatism, he argues, has little in common with liberalism, and is only tenuously related to the market economy, to monetarism, to free enterprise or to capitalism. It involves neither hostility towards the state, nor the desire to limit the state's obligation towards the citizen. Its conceptions of society, law and citizenship regard the individual not as the premise but as the conclusion of politics. At the same time it is fundamentally opposed to the ethic of social justice, to equality of station, opportunity, income and achievement, and to the attempt to bring major institutions of society such as schools and universities under government control.

Over the past twenty years, Roger Scruton has been developing a conservative view of human beings, society and culture. The tone of this book is positive and the arguments are recommendations with the aim of convincing the reader that rumours of the death of Western civilisation are greatly exaggerated. Much of our present self doubt, argues Scruton, is brought about by the Darwinian theory of evolution. Darwin encourages us to see human emotion as a reproductive strategy. This is a perspective which Scurton attacks vehemently especially in its modern proponents- Desmond Morris and Richard Dawkins. This the author believes undermines the belief in freedom and the moral imperatives that stem from it.

The word, 'culture' lies at the centre of contemporary debates about the past and future of society. Here, the author argues for the religious origin of culture in all its forms, and mounts a defence of the 'high culture' of our civilization against its radical and 'deconstructionist' critics.

Intro; Title Page; Copyright Page; Contents; Preface to the Bloomsbury Revelations edition; Chapter 1: Why?; Chapter 2: Truth; Chapter 3: The Demon; Chapter 4: Subject and Object; Chapter 5: Persons; Chapter 6: Time; Chapter 7: God; Chapter 8: Freedom; Chapter 9: Morality; Chapter 10: Sex; Chapter 11: Music; Chapter 12: History; Further Reading; Index.

"Received by the British press with equal acclaim and indignation, this book sets out to define and defend high culture against the world of pop, corn, and popcorn. It shows just why culture matters in an age without faith, and gives an extended argument, drawing on philosophy, criticism, and anthropology, against the "post-modernist" world-view. Scruton offers a penetrating attack on deconstruction, on Foucault, on Nietzschean self-indulgence, and on the "culture of repudiation" which has infected the modern academy. But his book is not only negative. It is a celebration of the true heroes of modern culture and a call to the higher life." "The American edition of this famous and notorious work has been revised to take account of the controversy which it has inspired, and contains new material specially directed to Americans."--BOOK JACKET.

In this classic introductory work, Scruton takes us on a fascinating tour of the subject, from founding father Descartes to the most important and famous philosopher of the twentieth century, Ludwig Wittgenstein.

In Plato's dialogues, an idealized Socrates expounds the ideas for which Plato will, until the end of history, be famous. The world of Forms; the ideal Republic with its totalitarian masterplan; the tribute to Eros, god of love (or at least of homosexual love); the promise of the soul's salvation -- all this has come down to us in the distinctive tone of voice of Plato's teacher. But how much of it did Socrates believe? Were Plato's contemporaries really taken in? And what lay behind his philosophy, from which the real world of men and women was so rigorously excluded? Until the discovery of the Xanthippic Inquiries, we had no answer to those questions. Now at last the real Plato is revealed to us, by the women whom he banished from his arguments. In this brilliant and witty expose, the mask of abstraction is lifted, to reveal the truth that lies beneath. And the truth is wife of Socrates, teacher of Aristotle, and Founding Mother of the Western world. This is a book that no feminist can afford to ignore.

Scruton fastidiously argues for tonality and expression as significant components of musical compositions in this enlightening academic work. Publishers Weekly

Kant is arguably the most influential modern philosopher, but also one of the most difficult. Roger Scruton tackles his exceptionally complex subject with a strong hand, exploring the background to Kant's work and showing why the Critique of Pure Reason has proved so enduring.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford…

Set in the twilight years of the Czechoslovak communist regime, recalled from the suburbs of Washington, this novel describes a doomed love affair between two young people trapped by the system. Roger Scruton evokes a world in which every word and gesture bears a double meaning, as people seek to find truth amid the lies and love in the midst of betrayal. The novel tells the story of Jan Reichl, condemned to a menial life by his father's alleged crime, and of Betka, the girl who offers him education, opportunity and love, but who mysteriously refuses to commit herself

I admire Roger Scruton's stance and I admire his writing. In this short book, he raises and discusses deeply important issues about the human world.--Simon Blackburn, author of Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy

As the lights that have guided us go out, people begin to wander in the twilight, seeking their place of belonging. In these stories, set in recent times, but before the blinding glare of social media, Roger Scruton describes the remembered landscapes of people who are not where they belong, and not quite where they wished to be. With unfailing lightness of touch, Scruton portrays characters who cannot let go of the past: Yusuf, set on a path of revenge that bears no relation to his teenage life; Bill who wanders the world in his imagination but cannot leave his suburban living room; Sarah, whose insane mission to save the Lebanese Christians brings disaster to the only person she loves; Veronica, whose determination to look the truth in the face wraps her young life in deception—all of them lost to their surroundings and yet touchingly seeking a home in them. Lovers of the short story will love these for their insight and poetic drama.

Roger Scruton first addressed this topic in his celebrated book The Aesthetics of Music (OUP) and in this new book he applies the theory to the practice and examines a number of composers and musical forms. His continued fascination with Wagner provides much interesting content but he also deals near-death blows to his favorite targets like Pierre Boulez and Hoagy Carmichael. His legal encounter with The Pet Shop Boys is well documented (they sued him for libel in 1999) and the book closes with a devastating chapter on pop music, containing more controversial views that readers will relish. Many will be delighted; others enraged. However, underlying this book there is a consistent argument and passion for tonality and rhythm.

Benedict de Spinoza (1632-77) was at once the father of the Enlightenment and the last sad guardian of the medieval world, who attempted to reconcile the conflicting moral and intellectual demands of his epoch. This book presents an analysis of Spinoza's thought, and shows its relevance to the intellectual preoccupations in the modern times.

A passionate and consoling study of sexual love by one of Britain's finest philosophers. 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. 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 - his argument gravitates to that which is candid, serene and consoling in the experience of sexual love.

"This work brings together Scruton's best essays from many sources, arranging them thematically. The book has four sections: Language and Art, Writers in Context, Architecture, and Culture and Anarchy. Though the essays are diverse, certain themes are developed in particular and then in general ways, and there are several important essays on writers and critics, that contribute to the reappraisal of their work - among them Dante, Andre Breton, Graham Greene, James Joyce, Sylvia Plath, Jacques Lacan,and Yukio Mishima"

Roger Scruton wordt beschouwd als een van de meest intrigerende en spraakmakende filosofen van onze tijd. Na zijn studie wijsbegeerte in Cambridge en Londen bekleedde hij de functie van hoogleraar Esthetiek aan de universiteit van Londen en was hij ook hoogleraar Filosofie aan de universiteit van Boston. Daarnaast gaf hij colleges aan prestigieuze instellingen zoals Princeton, Stanford en Cambridge. Momenteel is hij een vrijgevestigd schrijver, journalist, columnist, tv-presentator, componist en ongebonden wijsgeer. Van zijn belangrijkste werken geldt "Filosofisch denken" als een van de toegankelijkste. In dit boek biedt Scruton op zijn kenmerkende heldere en tegendraadse wijze een persoonlijke visie op filosofie als een zoektocht naar wijsheid, inzicht en begrip. Hij benadrukt dat wijsbegeerte een essentieel onderdeel is van het dagelijks leven en altijd mensenwerk. Het boek moedigt aan tot nieuwsgierigheid en neemt de lezer mee op een ontdekkingsreis langs fundamentele vragen zoals waarheid, vrijheid, goed en fout, de mens, God, geschiedenis, muziek en seks. Lezers zullen hun kijk op de wereld, de filosofie en zichzelf blijvend veranderen. Scruton wordt geprezen om zijn meesterlijke schrijfstijl en diepgaande inzichten.

Der unlängst verstorbene Roger Scruton war einer der wohl wichtigsten konservativen Denker unserer Zeit. Er liefert in diesem Buch eine vernichtende Kritik der Idole des linken Denkens des 20. und 21. Jahrhunderts. Hier enthüllt er, wie es dazu kommen konnte, dass heute Linke die Geisteswissenschaften dominieren. In diesem provokanten, fesselnden und höchst unterhaltsamen Buch erklärt er, warum leere Rhetorik und himmelschreiender Nonsens es geschafft haben, sorgfältige Analyse und seriöse Logik zu übertrumpfen – eine erschütternde Abrechnung mit einigen der angesagtesten Philosophen von heute. Neben Einschätzungen zu den philosophischen und politischen Beiträgen dieser Denker beschreibt Scruton auch den historischen und nationalen Kontext ihres Wirkens und fasst ihre wichtigsten Schriften zusammen. Darunter finden sich so bekannte Namen wie Galbraith, Dworkin, Habermas, Sartre, Foucault, Althusser, Lacan, Deleuze, Badiou und Žižek.

In einer Zeit, in der Konservatismus oft als veraltet angesehen wird, argumentieren Konservative für den Wert bestehender Gemeinschaften und kultureller Bindungen. Sie hinterfragen die Vorstellung, dass die Zerstörung historischer Strukturen automatisch zu etwas Besserem führt. Roger Scruton, ein bedeutender konservativer Denker, zeigt in diesem persönlichen und humorvollen Werk, wie man auch gegen die vorherrschenden Meinungen der modernen Gesellschaft konservativ denken und handeln kann. Seine Erfahrungen mit kommunistischer Herrschaft in Osteuropa und der Dominanz linker Ideologien an Universitäten bilden den Rahmen für seine mutigen Schlussfolgerungen. Scruton betont, dass es möglich ist, das „gewachsene Gewebe“ der Gemeinschaften zu schützen und wiederherzustellen, anstatt nur dem Verlorenen nachzutrauern. Er präsentiert eine optimistische Sichtweise und widerlegt die Annahme, dass konservative Ideen lediglich nostalgisch sind. Seine Philosophie ist nicht nur theoretisch, sondern bietet praktische Relevanz für die heutige Zeit, besonders für junge Leser. Scruton sucht Inspiration in der Vergangenheit, um wertvolle Lehren für die Gegenwart zu ziehen und zeigt, dass konservatives Denken heute von großer Bedeutung ist.

Jeder kennt das Sprichwort „in vino veritas“ (Im Wein liegt Wahrheit). Aber welche Wahrheit ist damit gemeint? Der renommierte Philosophieprofessor Roger Scruton ist dieser Frage in seinem neuen Buch nachgegangen. Wein - in der richtigen Stimmung und Dosis zelebriert – ist nicht nur eine Wohltat für die Seele, sondern auch ein Stimulans für freies Denken. Die alten Griechen wussten nur zu gut um diesen Zusammenhang. Guter Wein ist ein Elixier für gute Gespräche. Kein Geringerer als Platon hat es eindrucksvoll beschrieben: Wein versetzt den Menschen in einen Zustand der Offenheit und Selbstgewissheit, den ihm nüchtern wohl nie zuteil würde. Ein Lobpreis des Rebsaftes und obendrein die Geschichte jener ewigen Liaison zwischen Denkern und Flaschen - von den dionysischen Hellenen bis zum badischen Tiefgeist Martin Heidegger.

Krytyka współczesnej myśli lewicowej W Głupcach, oszustach i podżegaczach Roger Scruton, jeden z najważniejszych krytyków środowisk lewicowych zachodniej cywilizacji, przygląda się sylwetkom najbardziej wpływowych myślicieli nowej lewicy. Scruton rozpoczyna od bezlitosnej analizy filozofii nowolewicowej, a kończy krytyką najważniejszych jej filarów. Dokonuje ponownej oceny największych lewicowych myślicieli, takich jak E.P. Thompson, Ronald Dworkin, R.D. Laing, Jürgen Habermas, György Lukács, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jacques Derrida, Slavoj Žižek, Ralph Miliband oraz Eric Hobsbawm. Scruton stawia pytanie, jak wygląda dzisiaj nowa lewica i jak zmieniła się od 1989 roku. Pokazuje również, w jaki sposób pretensje klasy robotniczej przeniesiono do debaty na temat praw kobiet, gejów oraz problem imigrantów. Zastanawia się, czym można by zastąpić radykalny egalitaryzm, oraz próbuje dociec, dlaczego w środowisku intelektualnym wciąż dominują poglądy antynomiczne. Czy możliwe jest zatrzymanie nurtu lewicowego bez uciekania się do wiary religijnej? Scruton rozważa te niezwykle istotne kwestie w sposób umiejętny, zrozumiały i przejrzysty. Rezultatem jest miażdżąca krytyka współczesnej filozofii lewicowej.

Während der Zeitgeist nach Utopia strebt, betrachtet Roger Scruton die gegenwärtige Realität in zwölf Essays. Er reflektiert über Regieren, Bauen, Tanzen, das Unsagbare, Trauer und Tod, das Verstecken hinter Bildschirmen, die Liebe zu Tieren und den Umgang mit der Natur sowie die Verteidigung des Westens. Scrutons Rückblick ist keine Flucht, sondern eine Erinnerung an die handlungsfähige Gemeinschaft verantwortlicher Individuen. Diese Gemeinschaft agiert nicht global, sondern in einem kohärenten Territorium, mit dem sie existentiell verbunden ist. Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft bilden einen organischen Zusammenhang, in dem Vorfahren, Zeitgenossen und kommende Generationen miteinander in Kontakt stehen. Er untersucht, wie dieser Zusammenhalt gefördert oder gefährdet wird und betont, dass er für die Freiheit einer Gesellschaft entscheidend ist: „Denn er stellt ganz einfach die andere Seite der Freiheit dar, das, was da sein muss, damit Freiheit überhaupt möglich wird.“ Die gegenwärtige Tendenz, Andersdenkende schnell zu verurteilen und zu exkommunizieren, lässt die Thematik weniger dramatisch, sondern realistischer erscheinen.

Der Umweltschutz liegt herkömmlich im Hoheitsgebiet der politischen Linken. Die Bedrohung der Natur ist ihr zufolge dem internationalen Kapitalismus, dem Konsumverhalten und der unbegrenzten Ausbeutung natürlicher Ressourcen zuzuschreiben. Roger Scruton entblößt dieses Grundverständnis als gefährlichen Trugschluss, der in sich zerstörerisch auf die Ökosysteme wirkt, von denen unsere Zukunft abhängt. Der konservative Denker würdigt traditionelle Prinzipien als offensichtlichste und wirksamste Mittel, den Erhalt unseres Planeten zu sichern. Lokalismus und Bürgerverantwortung schlagen dabei die Bemühungen schwerfälliger Nichtregierungsorganisationen und internationaler Komitees. Die Zukunft ist mitnichten gesichert, aber Roger Scruton beweist mit dieser gedankenreichen Schrift, dass ein Fortbestand des Ökosystems Erde möglich ist.

Kniha známého britského filozofa do značné míry rozvíjí provokativní témata, která autor již stručně představil ve své předchozí knize Průvodce inteligentního člověka po moderní kultuře. Scruton se suverénně pohybuje na hranicích estetiky, uměnovědy, teorie kultury a sociologie.

Cyklus přednášek nesoucích jméno lorda Gifforda přednesených na Univerzitě St. Andrews roku 2010 na téma hledání Boha v ateistickém světě.

Roger Scruton skúma, aké miesto má Boh v odčarovanom svete. Jeho argumentácia je reakciou na ateistickú kultúru, ktorá dnes vyrastá okolo nás, a obranou ľudskej jedinečnosti. Vyvracia tvrdenie, že prírodný svet nemá žiadny zmysel či cieľ, a dokazuje, že posvätno a transcendentno predstavujú „reálnu prítomnosť“, vďaka ktorej ľudia prichádzajú k sebapoznaniu a nachádzajú slobodu a vykúpenie. Vzor zmyslu nachádzame v ľudskej tvári. A Scruton dokazuje, že z tohto zážitku konštruujeme tvár sveta a oslovujeme aj Božiu tvár. V tvári nachádzame dôkaz vlastnej slobody a znak sebauvedomenia. Jednou z motivácií ateistickej kultúry je ujsť pred okom súdu. Pred okom súdu človek utečie tak, že vymaže tvár: a Scruton dokazuje, že toto je najznepokojivejší aspekt čias, v ktorých žijeme. V rámci svojho rozsiahleho argumentu Scruton vysvetľuje stále silnejší pocit skazy, ktorý zažívame, keď návyky hľadania slasti a konzumizmu zbavujú svet tváre. Jeho kniha bráni zasvätený svet pred návykom znesväcovania a ponúka víziu náboženského spôsobu života v čase skúšky.

Scrutonova Hudobná estetika je azda prvým súhrnným výkladom hudby a jej významu z perspektívy modernej filozofie; je zároveň jediným textom o tejto téme, ktorý obsahuje relevantné hudobné príklady. Autor svoje úvahy otvára metafyzikou zvuku, podáva dištinkciu medzi zvukom a tónom, analyzuje rytmus, melódiu a harmóniu a dospieva k novému chápaniu hudby ako intencionálneho objektu obrazotvorného vnímania. Kniha sa zaoberá rôznymi dimenziami hudobnej organizácie a hudobného významu a podrobne vysvetľuje, prečo je hudba expresívnym médiom. Autor vysvetľuje a kritizuje mnohé módne myšlienky hudobnej filozofie a hudobnej teórie a obhajuje morálny význam hudby, miesto hudby v našej kultúre a potrebu hudobníkovho i poslucháčovho vkusu. Kriticky skúma rôzne školy hudobnej analýzy a odmieta kritiku tonality ako základu hudobného poriadku. Scruton vyzdvihuje objektívnosť estetických hodnôt, definuje princípy kritiky a svoju prácu ukončuje vehementnou kritikou modernej populárnej hudby.

183. bulletin Občanského institutu je překladem článku významného konzervativního myslitele Rogera Scrutona. Z anglického originálu „The Dangers of Internationalism“ publikovaného v časopisu The Intercollegiate Review, Fall/Winter 2005, s. 29-35, přeložil Jaromír Žegklitz.

z anglického originálu přeložil Eduard Geissler Bulletin OI ; č. 181

Sir Roger Scruton (1944–2020), britský konzervativní filosof, estetik, politolog, spisovatel a hudebník, je v českém prostředí dobře znám, a to nejen ze svých četných knih. Byl velkým přítelem naší země – již v době komunismu zde organizoval tajné bytové vzdělávací semináře, po roce 1989 pomáhal s přechodem od totality k demokracii především v oblasti vysokoškolského vzdělávání. Kniha rozhovorů, které s ním vedl spisovatel Mark Dooley, přináší podrobný a intimní příběh jeho osobního i profesního života a představuje tohoto skvělého člověka v novém světle. Úvod k českému vydání napsal Petr Pithart.

Roger Scruton je autorem řady knih o filozofii, estetice, umění, napsal i prozaická a hudební díla. Publikuje množství článků v časopisech (The Spectator, The Encounter), denících (The Times) a je šéfredaktorem čtvrtletníku konzervativního myšlení The Salisbury Review. Jeho výzva a argumenty jsou aktuální v době zlomového bodu evropských dějin, ve kterém sjednocovací experimenty vedou k narušení politické loajality, přehledného systému jištění lidských práv i občanské identity.

Originální úvod do filozofie z pera předního britského filosofa, esejisty a spisovatele. Autor se nesnaží popsat dějiny filosofie či vyložit její zkoumání, ale přivádí čtenáře k filosofii tím, že ji představuje jako zajímavou a velmi aktuální disciplínu. Ve dvanácti kapitolách se proto zabývá nejen běžnými filozofickými problémy, jako jsou například Bůh, pravda, čas apod., ale také problémy, které ne všichni filozofové považují za ústřední, jako jsou například sex a hudba.

Z anglického originálu „The Importance of Culture“ publikovaného v časopisu The American Spectator, September 2011, přeložil Jaromír Žegklitz.

Překlad polemické knihy Fools, Frauds, and Firebrands: Thinkers of the New Left anglického filosofa s myšlením tzv. „Nové levice“ Rogera V. Scrutona. Ve své knize z roku 2015 Roger Scruton navazuje na své dřívější filosofické práce, jak knihy, jako byla monografie Myslitelé nové levice z roku 1985, tak na články, které v průběhu osmdesátých let uveřejňoval v Salisbury Review a které se staly zdrojem řady kontroverzí. Scrutonova argumentace je konzistentní: zdůrazňuje důležitost tradice, kterou ovšem nevnímá jen jako velkou tradici politického myšlení, ale naopak jako tradici všednodennosti, tradici spolků a lidské pospolitosti. Tuto tradici brání proti utopickému radikalismu, jenž — jak dovozuje v knize — se u moderní levice projevuje hlavně vynálezem určité formy novořeči (s odkazem na Orwella).

Ačkoliv britský filozof Roger Scruton (1944–2020) již není mezi námi, jeho pronikavé myšlenky a názory jsou stále aktuální a inspirativní. V jedné ze svých posledních knih (v originále Where We Are: The State of Britain Now) se Scruton zabývá brexitem, politicky nejbouřlivějším obdobím v moderních britských dějinách, a klade si otázky, na něž nalézt odpovědi není vůbec jednoduché. Jak může Británie nově definovat svou identitu a co ji v nadcházejících letech udrží pohromadě? Čemu jsou její obyvatelé povinováni a proč? Jak reagují na následky globalizace a masové migrace, na vzestup islámu a úpadek křesťanské víry? Přijímají je jako nevyhnutelné, nebo se jim brání? A pokud se jim brání, na jakém základě mohou stavět? Scruton se poctivě snaží tyto otázky zodpovědět, a pomoci nám tak porozumět tomu, proč byl brexit nevyhnutelný a co můžeme očekávat v budoucnosti. Jeho moudré a hluboké úvahy o britské kolektivní identitě tak příznačně pronikají mlhou diskuzí a jsou nezbytnou četbou pro každého, kdo se zajímá o historii i současnost Velké Británie.

Od známého stoupence konzervatismu bychom očekávali zkoumání podstaty krásy. Roger Scruton však místo toho přináší úvahy o zkušenosti setkání s krásou, rozdělené na lidskou, přírodní, každodenní a uměleckou. Autor vyjadřuje přesvědčení, že vnímání „minimální krásy“ není odlišné od kontemplace velkých uměleckých děl či přírodních scenérií. Scrutonova myšlenka, že krása není rysem samotné skutečnosti a není objektivní, přesto představuje univerzální hodnotu vycházející z naší racionální přirozenosti. Inspirován Kantem, spojuje kontemplaci krásy s nezainteresovaným zájmem, který pramení z rozumu. Krásné věci vnímáme jako jednotlivé, pro ně samotné. Otázkou zůstává, jak může být zkušenost krásy nezainteresovaná a zároveň zahrnovat kontemplaci uměleckých děl i zájem o krásu každodenních věcí a lidí. Scruton se zabývá dědictvím platonismu, zdůrazňuje, že krása vyvolává touhu, ale také žádá její zřeknutí, čímž se blíží posvátnu. V polemice s Platónem zkoumá, jaké místo má v erotické touze jednotlivá bytost. Scruton interpretuje, že erotická touha směřuje ke kontemplaci jednotlivé bytosti. Dále rozvíjí pojem „vhodnosti“ jako jádro estetické zdařilosti a obrací se k Humeovu konceptu vkusu. Silné přesvědčení, že „charakteru záleží“, se projevuje v analýze současných uměleckých počinů a kulturních jevů, jako je kýč a pornografie. Kniha je pozoruhodným úvodem do estetických problémů, doplněná bohatými ilustracemi z různých uměleckých ob

V Duši světa obhajuje Roger Scruton metafyzickou zkušenost v ateistickém světě. Tvrdí, že naše osobní vztahy, morální intuice a estetické soudy mají transcendentní rozměr, který nelze pochopit pouze optikou vědy. Plné uvědomování si subjektivního bytí – a jeho pochopení – v důsledku znamená uznání reality posvátna. Nejedná se však o důkazový materiál Boží existence, ale jde o nezbytnost transcendentna pro lidský život. Scruton na základě umění, architektury či hudby naznačuje, že nejvyšší formy lidské zkušenosti a uměleckého projevu vyprávějí příběh o našich metafyzických potřebách. Evoluce nedokáže vysvětlit naše pojetí posvátna; neurověda je irelevantní pro naše mezilidské vztahy a vědecké poznání obecně neumí nic říci o zkušenosti krásy. Hledání posvátného zkrátka propůjčuje světu duši, pohled na realitu z Boží perspektivy. Svět bez posvátna by byl nakonec úplně jiný svět – takový, v němž my lidé bychom byli pouzí osamocení cizinci.

Projev v Plzni k udělení "Ceny 1. června" v roce 1996 = Speech for Plzeň on the occasion of ’1st June Award’ in 1996 / Roger Scruton.

Konzervativní myslitelé : výbor esejů z britského konzervativního čtvrtletníku The Salisbury Review / uspoř. Roger Scruton ; překlad [z angl.] Petr Jochman

Publikováno v knize Roger Scruton: A political philosophy

Idea university. Praha: Občanský institut, 2002. Bulletin OI. č. 132. Roger Scruton je zakladatelem a čestným šéfredaktorem čtvrtletníku The Salisbury Review, ředitelem nakladatelství Claridge Press, autorem více než 20 knih, nezávisle publikujícím autorem a skladatelem, svobodně hospodařícím statkářem a členem čestné rady Občanského institutu. Z anglického originálu The Idea of a University publikovaného v časopisu The Salisbury Review, roč. 20, č. 1, podzim 2001, s. 4-8, přeložil Jaromír Žegklitz.