Eros en seksuele natuur

Abstract

The aim of this article is to expose a dichotomy between the inter- and intrapersonal aspects of sexuality that haunt the current discourse on sexual normality. This division has led to a dual movement: in one direction to a moral relativism and in the other to an exclusive focus on sexual instincts. Thus, in the current discourse on sexuality, the interpersonal dimension o f sexuality is underplayed, while the intrapersonal dimension is overemphasized. I argue instead for a bridging of the gap between the inter- and intrapersonal dimensions of sexuality. The reason: neither moral relativism nor a rigid deterministic structure for sexual instincts represents an adequate view of, on the one hand the description of sexuality, and on the other the prescription o f the expression of that sexuality. In conclusion, I point to a few consequenses o f the integration o f both dimensions for sexual normality.