The Philosophy of the Orgasm

When on the quest for the loveliest of moments, one swiftly alights on the climax of climaxes: orgasm. Although a long-running theme in the media, sexual fulfilment is no simple matter. It is biological and cultural, sensual and symbolic, of the body and the mind, emotional and communicative. As well as being feminine and masculine, therefore deeply human. In it natural history and evolution rub shoulders with the great tales of human happiness, of emancipated society, a mature culture of love and a liberated gender relationship: in short, a good life.

In this book, wonder at orgasm dons a philosophy that connects the science of art, literature, film and music, intellectual discourse with everyday experience and the political with the utopia of a passionate and fulfilling happiness.

»Mahnkopf traces the phenomenon [of the orgasm]. And in terms of sexual liberation, which for him not only means individual happiness, but, above all, a promise of happiness to society as a whole. Mahnkopf’s ideas of sexual liberation are therefore exciting, as they imply freedom from psychological as well as physical obstacles, and an openness towards the experience of lust and eroticism – and not the misunderstood form of sexual liberation which equates freedom with vulgarity.« DIE WELT

»With his Philosophy of the Orgasm, Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf ventures to create an ethics of liberation.« Peter Neumann, DIE ZEIT

»The new book The Philosophy of the Orgasm is made interesting by its transdisciplinary approach, because Mahnkopf is also a composer and an expert on aesthetics […]« Wolfgang Schütz, Augsburger Allgemeine

»The author develops his philosophy of what it means to be human along his focal topic in a subtle and well-founded manner with confident poise and refreshingly direct, with delicate irony and quite a bit of humour.« Hans-Peter Jahn, MusikTexte