Eroticism: Why It Still Matters

Abstract

This article is about Eroticism as a key-concept in the psychological understanding of the human mind. The meaning of the term can be defined as follows: Eroticism is the way humans experience sexuality as a self-sufficient mental activity. Sexuality underlies different social rules in varying cultural contexts and may lead to different ways of thinking, but there is no evidence that cultural diversity actually leads to fundamentally different ways of feeling. The constant disposition for recreational rather than procreational sex makes eroticism a medium of human creativity. In this sense, eroticism is considered a central factor in the process of hominisation. The crucial cognitive competence which makes for the uniqueness of our species is due to the transformation of sexuality into eroticism and its disposition for social learning. In the animal kingdom, sex contributes to the welfare of the horde, while in human society eroticism contributes to individual self-recognition and paves the way to moral awareness. Methodologically, I plead for a cooperation of psychological and anthropological research, each utilizing and combining the complementary aspects of both approaches.

Memory and the Timeless Time of Eros

“…Unfortunately, eroticism is often equated with crude sexuality. But actually, eroticism is close to sexuality and at the same time transforms it into a spiritual issue fundamental for true love (Fellmann, 2016). The same can be said of orgasm, the climax of sexual intercourse.…”

Nursing students’ knowledge regarding sexuality, sex, and gender diversity in a multicenter study

“…Eroticism, which is also difficult to define (Fellmann, 2016), is not just a sexual activity; it is a psychological aspect dependent on and, at the same time, independent of sexuality. Throughout human evolution, erotics have diverted sexual activity from the main goal of reproduction (Fellmann, 2016;Halwani, 2023).…”

“…Eroticism, which is also difficult to define (Fellmann, 2016), is not just a sexual activity; it is a psychological aspect dependent on and, at the same time, independent of sexuality. Throughout human evolution, erotics have diverted sexual activity from the main goal of reproduction (Fellmann, 2016;Halwani, 2023). For students, these concepts of sex and eroticism are more closely related to desire, pleasure, and effective sexual acts than to the full experience of sexuality in itself.…”

Multidisciplinary Approach in Health: New Strategies from the Perspective of Education, Management, Culture and Gender

“…Eroticism, which is also difficult to define (Fellmann, 2016), is not just a sexual activity; it is a psychological aspect dependent on and, at the same time, independent of sexuality. Throughout human evolution, erotics have diverted sexual activity from the main goal of reproduction (Fellmann, 2016;Halwani, 2023).…”

“…Eroticism, which is also difficult to define (Fellmann, 2016), is not just a sexual activity; it is a psychological aspect dependent on and, at the same time, independent of sexuality. Throughout human evolution, erotics have diverted sexual activity from the main goal of reproduction (Fellmann, 2016;Halwani, 2023). For students, these concepts of sex and eroticism are more closely related to desire, pleasure, and effective sexual acts than to the full experience of sexuality in itself.…”