A History of the Senses: From Antiquity to Cyberspace

This path-breaking book examines our attitudes to the senses fromantiquity through to the present day. Robert Jutte explores awealth of different traditions, images, metaphors and ideas thathave survived through time and describes how sensual impressionschange the way in which we experience the world.


Throughout history, societies have been both intrigued or unsettledby the five senses. The author looks at the way in which the socialworld conditions our perception and traces the 'rediscovery' ofsensual pleasure in the twentieth century, paying attention toexperiences as varied as fast food, deoderization, andextra-sensory perception. He concludes by exploring technologicalchange and cyberspace, reflecting on how developments in thesefields will affect our relationship with the senses in the future.