Throughout history, there have been many people who have studied beauty. Some of them include Plato, Kant, Aristotle, and Francis Hutcheson. Each has had an impact on the world, and they have helped to shape how we perceive beauty today.
Plato
Among the many things that Plato has to say about beauty, there are three aspects that work together to form a distinctly Platonic view of the aesthetic. We can examine these aspects and see how they reveal a place in his metaphysics.
The first and most obvious aspect of Platonic beauty is that it is not abstract. It is a property that the soul is drawn to. When the soul finds something beautiful, it leads the mind to think about the Forms that make the things beautiful. These Forms are more stable, more perfect, and more perfect than physical objects.
The second feature of Platonic beauty is that it is a property that the soul is rewarded for. When the soul has reached the happiest state of being, it has mastered the Forms of beauty. This achievement is achieved through the soul’s ability to transfer the desire for these Forms to other concepts.
The third aspect of Platonic beauty is that it has a special role in ethical approbation. When the soul recognizes a physical object as being beautiful, it can be assured that it is not a bad mimesis.
The lowest form of imitation is shadows. This form of mimesis is considered to be a poor imitation of metaphysical forms. In the Platonic world, the sun is not a temptation. It is the size of a hand. When we think that the sun is the size of a hand, it does not feel like anger. It is an admiration.
The second aspect of Platonic beauty is that it can be found in the natural world. It is a property that the soul identifies with justice. Having justice involves a balance of reason and desire. When a person has a balanced sense of right and wrong, he is virtuous.
Aristotle
Throughout the history of philosophy, ideas of beauty have been studied, gathered and pondered. While great philosophers have vastly different views, some common themes are apparent.
One of the most prominent theories is that of Aristotle’s. While Plato envisioned beauty as an idea of good, Aristotle conceived of it as a property of nature. Specifically, Aristotle believed that an object was beautiful when it was accurately and properly beautiful.
Aristotle also developed a theory of art. He asserted that a work of art is not merely a copy of another art piece, but can be a work of art in its own right. Aristotle’s theory provided the groundwork for later theories of beauty.
Aristotle explains the concept of beauty in Metaphysics and Rhetoric. He asserts that being and unity are implied in one another, and the idea of beauty is the result of the recollection of ideas.
Aristotle’s beauty theory is still considered a foundational principle of normative aesthetics. However, Aristotle’s writings on the subject are scattered among a variety of works. Aristotle’s ideas on the subject are important to medieval aesthetics.
Aristotle’s concept of the catharsis is important to medieval aesthetics. While the definition of the catharsis is not clear, Aristotle believes that a tragic event can help to cleanse negative feelings. Aristotle argues that a dramatic event should involve a clash of characters. Aristotle also argued that a work of art should be set against material rather than merely against a backdrop.
Another theory of the catharsis is that of Pseudo-Dionysius. He asserts that the cause of beauty is sympathy, and that it is the cause of harmony and community. In addition, he claims that beauty is the cause of everything.
Santayana
During the nineteenth century, George Santayana defined beauty as “an objectified pleasure.” His definition was one of the most influential in aesthetics, and was based on his teaching of aesthetics at Harvard University. He was also the first American to teach aesthetics at a university.
He devoted several papers to aesthetics, and published a book titled The Sense of Beauty. The book, which was originally published in 1896, was divided into four parts: Form, Expression, Materials, and The Nature of Beauty.
The first section of The Sense of Beauty is a discussion of the idea of form. The author argues that form refers to both the visual experience of an object, and mental representations of it.
The second section explores the nature of expression. The third and fourth sections deal with the materials of beauty. These materials include language, literature, art, and music.
The Sense of Beauty was influenced by the works of William James, Isaac Newton, and others. It was also influenced by George Santayana’s earlier work on naturalism. He argued that human nature was a source of aesthetic values.
In the book, Santayana discusses the concept of an indeterminate form, which refers to a form that requires the observer to interpret it. His explanations have many similarities to later developed psychological Prototype theory.
In the second section of the book, Santayana describes the difference between form and expression. The difference is that form is a literal or conceptual element in the visual experience of an object. As the section proceeds, form becomes synonymous with mental representations.
The Sense of Beauty is also a valuable guide to the beauty of language, literature, and music. It contains examples drawn from these different mediums, and is written without any hectoring.
Kant
Unlike most books of the genre, Kant’s Critique of Aesthetic Judgment doesn’t deal only with beauty. Rather, it turns its attention to the conditions under which a work of art might be produced. In the process, Kant makes a number of radical claims.
In the context of fine art, for example, Kant believes that immediate interest in natural beauty is a sign of a well-developed soul. His definition of beauty is akin to the’sun and moon’ model, and he asserts that this is not an instance of absence of interest but rather an indication that nature and moral freedom are in tune.
Kant’s third Critique is a book that can be read in many different ways. The first part of the book deals with Kant’s explanation of the sublimity of the’sublime’. This was not something that could be quantified in a single page, but rather a set of questions that must be addressed in order to make sense of the concept.
The second part of the book focuses on the complexities of aesthetic judgment. This involves a number of esoteric concepts, including the’spiritual automaton’, which encapsulates the most elusive of the human mind’s many faculties.
Finally, the most interesting aspect of Kant’s theory of fine art is its teleological component. Kant explains how an object’s purpose might be apparent to a person but appears to be an illusion to a non-existent being. In the process, he also gives us a peek into the mysteries of the human mind.
Compared to the modern use of aesthetics, the concepts introduced by Kant have been retained and expanded upon by subsequent thinkers, including Edmund Husserl and Jean-Paul Sartre. Among other things, Kant’s account of beauty has a profound impact on our conception of the sublime.
Francis Hutcheson
During the eighteenth century, the philosopher Francis Hutcheson was very influential in Scotland, Ireland, and England. His philosophies had a great impact on life in those times. His writings enjoyed a revival in the twentieth century. Today, his theories have been emphasized by historians and political scientists.
In 1725, Hutcheson published An Enquiry into the Original of Our Ideas of Beauty and Virtue. The work consisted of two essays, one on morality and the other on aesthetics.
In the first essay, Hutcheson argues that humans have an innate sense of beauty. This idea of beauty grows in the mind as we perceive certain qualities. He also argues that pleasure in experiencing a particular object is found within the object itself. The idea of “beauty” is complex. It involves a number of factors, including intuition, purposefulness, and uni-formity amidst variety. He defines the “beauty” of an object as the rule of uniformity amidst diversity.
In the second essay, Hutcheson explains the difference between aesthetics and reason. He defines the aesthetic sense as a reflex sense. It generates ideas and immediate pleasure. It does not require the knowledge of the cause or advantage.
Hutcheson also distinguishes the internal and external senses. He argues that the five external senses are not sufficient for judging beauty. Instead, the perception of beauty depends on the internal sense. He identifies amiable and disagreeable ideas as immediate pleasure.
Hutcheson’s theory of aesthetics was influenced by John Locke’s primary and secondary qualities. It was also inspired by the writings of Lord Shaftesbury.
Hutcheson wrote several essays, some of which are still considered influential. His most important works are An Enquiry into the Original of Our Aesthetic Ideas of Good and Evil, An Essay on the Nature and Conduct of Passions and Affections, and An Enquiry into the Original of Our Manifestly Beauty and Virtue.
