Overview

Aesthetics is the philosophy of art and beauty. It asks: What makes something beautiful? Is beauty in the eye of the beholder, or is it an objective quality?

Core Idea

The core idea is judgment. How do we judge art? What criteria do we use? Is a sunset beautiful in the same way a painting is beautiful?

Formal Definition

The study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste.

Intuition

It’s the science of “Wow.”

  • Why does a sad song make us feel good? (Paradox of Tragedy).
  • Why is a forgery worth less than the original, even if they look identical?
  • Can a urinal be art? (Duchamp’s Fountain).

Examples

  • The Sublime: The feeling of awe and terror when facing something huge (mountains, storms). Distinct from “Beautiful” (which is calm and pleasing).
  • Objective vs. Subjective:
    • Hume: Taste is subjective, but “ideal critics” agree on masterpieces.
    • Kant: Aesthetic judgment claims universal validity (“This should be beautiful to everyone”).

Common Misconceptions

  • Misconception: It’s just about pretty things.
    • Correction: It also studies the ugly, the grotesque, the sublime, and the avant-garde.
  • Misconception: There’s no accounting for taste.
    • Correction: Philosophers argue we can reason about art and educate our taste.
  • Art Theory: The study of the nature and value of art.
  • Beauty: The quality that gives pleasure to the senses.
  • Criticism: The practice of judging the merits of works.

Applications

  • Design: UX/UI design relies on aesthetic principles (balance, harmony).
  • Environmentalism: Arguments for preserving nature often rely on its aesthetic value.

Criticism and Limitations

  • Elitism: Aesthetics has historically focused on “High Art” (opera, painting) and ignored “Low Art” (comics, pop music).

Further Reading

  • Aesthetics: A Comprehensive Anthology by Cahn and Meskin
  • Critique of Judgment by Immanuel Kant