...10/20/07 PL20-2948 Professor Fellenz Assignment #2 Aesthetic Theory What in fact is the nature of art? Is aesthetic experience more abstract and subjective or does it possess elements of tangibility? Is art something that a healthy human population could live without or is it an integral part of our moral fiber? They say necessity is the mother of invention. It is apparent over the course of human history that as our capacity for knowledge expanded, so did our need for different avenues of expression. Most people say art imitates life. Oscar Wilde was wise enough to see that after a while, life begins to imitate art. So which is more important to the other? Art to life or life to art? Logically art would never have existed without the human catalyst. That concept is easy enough to understand. It is a little bit more difficult for us to be able to see how far human beings have come because of art, as well as how various artistic mediums can speak volumes about us as a people and society. Art is extremely important when considering things such as this. In a way it is like the chicken or the egg debate. Do the things we own (or create) end up owning (or creating) us? Or do we, in all of our cognitive glory, have total control? Artists can portray this delicate relationship in a way that would otherwise be blurry. Art is special is this kind of debate because almost all forms...
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...For a cosmetologist who specializes in the study of skin care, see Esthetician. Aesthetics (/ɛsˈθɛtɪks/; also spelled æsthetics and esthetics) is a branch ofphilosophy dealing with the nature of art, beauty, and taste, with the creation and appreciation of beauty.[1][2] It is more scientifically defined as the study ofsensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentimentand taste.[3] More broadly, scholars in the field define aesthetics as "critical reflection on art, culture and nature."[4][5] More specific aesthetic theory, often with practical implications, relating to a particular branch of the arts is divided into areas of aesthetics such as art theory, literary theory, film theory and music theory. An example from art theory is aesthetic theory as a set of principles underlying the work of a particular artist or artistic movement: such as the Cubist aesthetic.[6] Contents Edit The word aesthetic is derived from the Greek αἰσθητικός (aisthetikos, meaning "esthetic, sensitive, sentient"), which in turn was derived from αἰσθάνομαι (aisthanomai, meaning "I perceive, feel, sense").[7] The term "aesthetics" was appropriated and coined with new meaning in the German form Æsthetik(modern spelling Ästhetik) by Alexander Baumgarten in 1735. Aesthetics and the philosophy of artEdit Aesthetics is for the artist as Ornithology is for the birds. — Barnett Newman[8][9] For some, aesthetics is considered a synonym for the philosophy of art sinceHegel, while others insist...
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...diverse range of human activities and the products of those activities, but here refers to the visual arts, which cover the creation of images or objects in fields including painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and other visual media. -art in terms of mimesis, expression, communication of emotion, or other values. During the Romantic period, art came to be seen as "a special faculty of the human mind to be classified with religion and science". -"the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others". 2. destinction of an art as aesthetic - Art aesthetics is the philosophy of art, and naturally tries to arrive at statements about representation, coherent form, emotive expression and social purpose that are universally true, independent of context and speaker. Unfortunately, that very generality means that aesthetics can often be used to justify a very doubtful piece of work. Aesthetics is for the artist as Ornithology is for the birds.— Barnett Newman 3. The different Kinds of Art • Fine arts –Beaux arts- and it include painting, drawing,sculpture, and graphic design. • The plastic arts. The plastic arts are the art form that involves moulding or making models. Clay, metal and wax are examples of the plastic arts. • The applied arts. This kind of art implies everything that can be useful, artistic, and beautiful. As when an artist forms a vase using clay in an artistic design. The Applied...
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...definitionS of Pragmatic, Pragmatism, and the Pragmatic Theory of Drama in Plato and Aristotle. A University of Lagos, M.A Seminar Work By Larayetan, Raphael Segun, (Mat. No.139013058) COURSE: Theory of Drama LECTURER: Dr. Patrick Oloko Introduction: This paper attempts an exploration of pragmatics, pragmatism and pragmatic theory as perceived by scholars from different intellectual tradition with focus on drama as a genre of literature. From the classic to the contemporary period, dramatic theorists and dramatists have been involved in the polemics on functions of drama, whether it is an instrument of communicating ideas or just a genre of literature that only entertains. Whether drama entertains or bears the ideological or moral burdens which the author through his art intends to pass to the readers, drama unequivocally has a function which, according to Philip Sidney, is to “teach and to delight”. With this in mind, it can be established that every piece of drama sets out to achieve a function though critics and dramatists have disagreed on what the ideal function of drama should be. It is this light that the current paper explores the pragmatic theory of drama in Plato and Aristotle, or, simply put; how Plato and Aristotle perceive the ideal function of drama. Definition of Terms: Pragmatism is a theory that emphasises the dual function of a work of art. It stipulates the heuristic function...
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...April 17th, 2016 Kierkgaard’s “3 Stages of Life (Aesthetic, Ethical and Religious) Soren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) emphasizes the stages of life’s way which includes aesthetic, ethical and religious. It is essentially stated that all persons pass through the three stages to come into themselves. However, the idea of aesthetics, ethical and religious matters does not always coincide with one another. These things all potentially hold different characteristics and are developed differently in each individual. Nonetheless, they will essentially conflict with one another as Kierkegaard describes their stages in a fictitious manner. Kierkegaard makes it rather intense to give his own particular standpoint on the stages of life, and he does not decree answers. On the other hand, he encourages individuals to make their own conclusions. My theory is that the stages on life’s way including aesthetics, ethical and religious stages are the infinite developments on life’s way for all individuals. However, these stages are not emphasized to have had chronological order. They are uniquely criticized differently as they all are developments of life’s way. These three stages were composed for everyone to analyze and evaluate their own situations distinctively. The answer to the three stages of life does imply the individual interpretation on particular stages rather than someone else’s interpretation. In theory, the uniqueness of aesthetics, ethical, and religious stages are that they are developed...
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...the beholder” is the phrase that is often heard when discussing the topic of attractiveness but is this true? Does beauty really depend on who is looking? Beauty or aesthetics are often looked at in reference to artwork. Aesthetic means to be “concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty; also the philosophical theory or set of principles governing the idea of beauty at a given time and place (dictionary.com).” These words will be used interchangeably throughout this paper. There are many different opinions on what aesthetic qualities allow a painting to be considered beautiful. Some of these qualities are balance, rhythm, emphasis, proportion, sequence and repetition (Clair, 1939). Another article by Chen (????), measured what participants looked at when deciding whether or not a painting is beautiful and the frequent factors were meaning, brushstroke, style, shape, perspective, mood, originality, balance, and unity. An exhibition at the Birchfield Penny Art Center displays many of Charles Birchfield’s famous artwork and with every second Friday being free to students, it’s no wonder visiting the museum is such a great past time. Currently, the museum is showing two exhibits about Charles Birchfield: A Resounding Roar and Audio Graphics. One of my favorite pieces “New Moon,” displays some debatable aesthetic qualities.. This is one of Birchfield’s...
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...Table of Contents: An introduction: What does “product quality” really mean? 2 Understanding consumers’ perspective 2 * a) Intrinsic cues 4 * b) Extrinsic cues 4 * c) Appearance cues 4 * d) Performance cues 4 The role of aesthetics in apparel products 5 * 3.1 The sensory dimension of the aesthetic experience 5 * 3.2 The emotional dimension of the aesthetic experience 5 * 3.3 The cognitive dimension of the aesthetic experience 5 Conclusion 6 References 7 1. An introduction: What does “product quality” really mean? The Oxford Dictionary defines quality as “The standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something; General excellence of standard or level. Many manufacturers use quality as a way to extinguish themselves from their competitors’ products.” It is very important to differentiate between intrinsic- and extrinsic properties of clothes. Intrinsic properties are the fit and feel of the clothing item and the ability to use it for multiple wearing. It also includes the chemical and physical properties of the clothing (Kincade & Gibson; 2010:78). The extrinsic properties are how the product appears to the consumer end their feeling of wealth, luxury and status. Most of the time this includes the brand names, price and store where the items are bought (Kincade & Gibson; 2010:78). 2. Understanding consumers’ perspective: Consumers have different ways of interpreting...
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...the most controversial and complex themes in Western philosophy. Beauty has been among the ultimate values, with goodness, truth, and justice. “It is a major subject among different philosophers such as the ancient Greek, Hellenistic, and medieval, and was central to 18th and 19th-century thought, as represented in treatments by such thinkers as Hutcheson, Hume, Kant; Hegel, and Santayana.” Different philosophical issues concerned the objectivity and subjectivity of beauty. In other words, philosophers argued whether is beauty a property of some objects (like mass, shape, etc.) or is beauty a judgment of the mind observing the object (an emotion, feeling or evaluation). Subjective theory of beauty existed primary in the Antiquity and the middle Ages, while the modern period retained the objective theory for a long time. In this essay, we will get insights of both subjectivist and objectivist accounts. According to philosophers, “Objective is something that can be known, which exists as part of reality, independent of thought or an observer. While subjective exists in the mind; belonging to the thinking subject rather...
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...package and price: 1. aesthetic package with a relatively high price, 2. aesthetic package with an intermediate price, 3. aesthetic package with a relatively low price, 4.plain package with a relatively high price, 5.plain package with an intermediate price, 6.plain package with a relatively low price. After the six between-subject experiments, we find that package design and price setting do have influence on customers’ preference to purchase, but not as strong as our perception. On the other hand, the packaging has significance influence on the customers’ overall impression towards the product. The aesthetic package with the highest price leaves the customer the best impression. Implications for future application for businesses are discussed in the final part. Key words: Package design, price setting, analysis of variance, purchase intention. Introduction “Man shows that he is affected by appearance, by something that causes him pleasure over and above the immediate utility of the object” (Clay, 1908). Designing aesthetic products to satisfy the consumers’ need is of growing importance in marketing. As core attributes of product, such as quality and functionality, become increasingly homogeneous (Reimann, Schilke, & Thomas, 2010), firms are shifting their efforts from concrete product characteristics towards less concrete ones such as package designing. This trend towards aesthetics in product differentiation may be based on the insight that aesthetic designs seem to...
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...philosophy based in the simplistic beauty of things—the pursuer may, in the end and without notice, emerge uglier than ever before. Dorian, the once wide-eyed innocent, buckles and caves in to depravity while practicing an aesthetic lifestyle, despite the beauty that such a life idea claims. I began to wonder what Oscar Wilde intended to convey with his portrayal of the Aesthetic Movement incarnate and its often harsh consequences, especially given the well-documented involvement of Wilde in promoting aestheticism in his contemporary society. The juxtaposition of Wilde’s support for the Aesthetic Movement with Dorian’s corruption at the hands of it provided a great jumping-off point and a lingering question with which to begin an essay. What exactly is Wilde’s view of aestheticism when one bears in mind the story of Dorian Gray? In writing my essay, I realized Wilde’s outlook is not as straightforward as it may first appear. Throughout the writing process, a difficult task I faced was to encapsulate the aesthetic position when the philosophy often meant different things to different people. In researching the movement, I found that the moral philosophies of various proponents of aestheticism often varied and, thus, it became difficult to nail down the aesthetic tenets and apply them to Dorian Gray. In retrospect, some observations about the philosophy may, consequently, appear too generalized. I was also challenged in the initial formulation of my argument. It was initially difficult...
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...justification? · The difference between moral motivation and moral justification is that moral motivation involves feelings. It also uses judgments, which makes us feel whether something is good for us, and affects decision making and reason to act a certain way. Moral justification defends a moral theory; it helps persuade ourselves on believing that our actions are right. 2. Explain the difference between natural morality and transcendent morality. · The difference between natural morality and transcendent morality is that natural morality is interpreted by human reasoning; it follows what is best for human nature, searching for happiness and fulfillment. Transcendent morality is being superior and above something, being beyond a normal or physical level. 3. What is the difference between a moral judgment and an aesthetic judgment? · Moral judgments are opinions formulated on whether something is good or bad. An aesthetic judgment is also an opinion, but differs because it judges the quality or status of someone or something. 4. What does it meant to be an "objectivist" regarding moral feelings? · What is means to be an objectivist is having an ethical theory that moral precepts are valid, or that moral good is real. 5. Describe the difference between...
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...Chinese Art and Design - Symmetry in Chinese Art and Design Symmetry has been widely used in various contexts. In traditional Chinese art and design, the concept of symmetry is one of the most important aesthetic principles. Symmetrical beauty is derived from nature, i.e., law of nature in Taoism. The human body and almost all animals are symmetric, which shows a beauty of health and balance. Rather asymmetry leaves people an impression of displeasure. Symmetry is also the manifestation of Chinese philosophy of harmony and zhongyong (the Mean thought) in Confucianism. The aesthetic principle of symmetry in Chinese art is similar to the “Golden Rule” in the West, the aim of which is to achieve balance. This essay aims to discuss the aesthetic principle of symmetry used in Traditional Chinese Art and Design, including ancient Chinese Bronze artwork, ancient Chinese architecture and Chinese paper cutting. I. Symmetry in Ancient Chinese Bronze artwork Bronzes basically can be classified into four types in terms of function: food vessels, wine vessels, water vessels and musical instruments. Various shapes and designs can be found in each type, fully demonstrating the creativity and skills of the ancient people. Despite of this, symmetry was used as a universal basic aesthetic principle. Ancient Chinese bronzes stressed balance and symmetry of form, and communicated solemnity and ceremony. Among the various kinds of bronze vessels, ding is a significant category. Originally ding...
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...Aesthetics (also spelled æsthetics or esthetics) is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty.[1] It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste.[2] More broadly, scholars in the field define aesthetics as "critical reflection on art, culture and nature."[3][4] Subject matter, in general, is anything which can be content for some theory. Subject matter may refer to: * Patentable subject matter (or statutory subject matter), defining whether patent protection is available * subject-matter jurisdiction, determining the kinds of claims or disputes over which a court has jurisdiction * Subject-matter expert, an expert in a particular area * Subject matter expert Turing test, a variation of the Turing test where a computer system attempts to replicate an expert in a given field PHYSICALLY. it has something to do with man's need for personal expression. As to how it benefits him physically SPIRITUALLY. the arts seek to promote spiritual growth by ... to God, to "result in advantage to man," "ensure his progress and elevate his rank. ... On a social plane, to promote social well-being SOCIALLY. it helps an age define itself. . the need of beauty and expression and communication keeps us looking future ward. it was religious, and that expresses the spiritual side of an age. DIFFERENCE. Manmade...
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...A list of sample questions in philosophy Metaphysics: questions concerning the nature of reality, being, or existence Ontology 0 Why is there something rather than nothing? 1 Is it possible that there was a time before now when absolutely NOTHING existed? 2 What is ultimately (or REALLY) real? [Appearance -v- Reality] 3 Is reality fundamentally one or many? [Monism -v- Pluralism] 4 What, if anything, endures through change? 5 Is reality primarily material or spiritual (or mental)? [“Materialism” -v- “Idealism”] 6 Is the “external world” objectively real, or is its existence mind-dependent? If the latter, what mind is it dependent on? My mind? Your mind? The divine mind? 7 Is there a “supernatural” reality, or is nature “all there really is”? [Naturalism -v- Supernaturalism] 8 What is the difference between necessary and contingent being? Is there a necessary being? Is there only one necessary being? Philosophical cosmology 9 What is the cosmos made of? How is it structured? 10 Did the cosmos come into being? If so, how? 11 Will the cosmos cease to be in the future? If so, what does that mean for us? 12 What are the philosophical implications of scientific answers to cosmological questions? Philosophical theology (and the philosophy of religion) 13 Does God exist? [Theism; Atheism; Agnosticism] 14 What is the nature of God? 15 What about the existence of evil (pain, suffering, and disorder)...
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...Aesthetic Value vs. Catharsis Robert Rauschenberg was a young, abstract expressionist, artist in his twenties, who wanted to experiment with creating emptiness with drawling. He approached Willem De Kooning, a famous Dutch American artist, for one of his drawling’s. Rauschenberg then took the drawling and eraded most of it only leaving a ghost of the drawling that was previously there. He titled it “Erased de Kooning”. A Kantian viewer’s would judge the “Erased de Kooning” as a loss of aesthetic value compared to the drawling because the “Erased de Kooning” is content based. The “Erased de Kooning” was a drawling that provoked a lot of controversy about if the work of art should be considered a drawling or not and who the artist of the work is. Aesthetics and aesthetic judgment is a...
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