Aesthetics Throughout History: From Classical Greece to Contemporary Art
Aesthetics: A Human Preoccupation
The capture and communication of the aesthetics of objects has been a human preoccupation for centuries.
1. Greek and Christian Aesthetics
The Greek View:
Classical Greek aesthetics emphasized objectivity. Objects existed in their own natural realm, separate from humans. Beauty resided in the harmony of the object’s form and its adherence to natural laws.
Aristotle’s key principles:
- Clear delineation of form: precise and well-defined shapes.
- Proportion and mathematical relationships between parts.
- Harmony of parts, creating a sense of gracefulness and refinement.
Conception of Art: Art was seen as mimesis, the imitation of nature, with the artist striving to emulate the divine creator.
Greek Aesthetics and Ethics:
In classical Greek thought, aesthetics and ethics were intertwined. Both aimed to guide behavior and promote social harmony.
Aristotle’s view on tragedy and comedy:
- Comedy: Ridiculed those who succumbed to vices.
- Tragedy: Showed the consequences of transgressing moral and sacred order.
The Christian View:
Christianity viewed God as the ultimate artist and creator of the world. Beauty was found in God’s creation, and humans were tasked with translating and interpreting this divine beauty.
Conception of Art: Art became a way to represent God’s creation and transmit his message as revealed in the scriptures.
2. Neoclassical Aesthetics
The View of Beauty:
With the Renaissance and the rise of modernity, the individual became central. Beauty became subjective, based on personal taste and the sensations evoked by objects.
Characteristics of good taste:
- Disinterested: Beauty is appreciated for its own sake.
- Communicable: The experience of beauty can be shared.
- Universal: There’s an inherent belief that others can understand and appreciate one’s judgment of beauty.
Conception of Art: Despite the claim of universality, neoclassical art often catered to the educated elite, becoming a marker of social distinction.
Neoclassical Aesthetics and Ethics:
Neoclassical art, particularly literature, had a strong moralizing function. It aimed to educate and replace old customs with enlightened values.
3. Romantic Aesthetics
The View of Beauty:
Romanticism embraced subjectivity and emphasized passion. This led to the concept of the sublime.
Characteristics of the sublime:
- Overwhelming: Evokes a sense of awe and annihilation.
- Unbound by rules: Transcends rational and moral norms.
- Terrible yet seductive: Simultaneously frightening and alluring.
- Accessible only to genius: Only those with exceptional talent can grasp and express the sublime.
Conception of Art: Romantic art explored themes of nature’s power and the darker aspects of human existence, such as disease and suffering.
Romantic Aesthetics and Ethics:
Romantic morality aligned with the sublime, emphasizing passion and transgression. This gave rise to the myth of the artist as a genius bordering on madness.
Contemporary Aesthetics
Defining contemporary art based on a shared concept of beauty is challenging. However, a key characteristic is the emphasis on freedom in artistic creation.
Risks of absolute freedom in art:
- Puerilization: Mistaking freedom for mere spontaneity.
- Crypticism: Excessive transgression of artistic norms can alienate the public and make art overly reliant on critical interpretation.
- Commodification: Cryptic art can become a commodity valued primarily for its market price.
- Trivialization: Art may lose its connection to profound human questions and become a mere object of consumption.
Philosophical Anthropology: Functions and the Search for Progress
Functions of Philosophical Anthropology:
- Critical-dialectical: Analyzing theories about humans and their methods of inquiry.
- Theoretical-interpretative: Integrating knowledge from various disciplines to create a coherent vision of humanity.
- Utopian-creative: Using analysis of human reality to shape ideals of personal excellence and social justice.
The Idea of Progress:
Progress typically involves:
- Development of knowledge.
- Technological advancement.
- Knowledge and power used to promote justice.
Perspectives on Progress:
- Cyclical history: Events repeat in an endless loop (e.g., Stoics, Avicenna, Nietzsche).
- Decadence: History is a decline from a golden age (e.g., Plato).
- Inevitable progress: History moves through stages towards a positive, scientifically-driven understanding of reality (e.g., Comte).
- Open history: The future is unpredictable and shaped by choices (e.g., Kant).
Challenges to the idea of progress:
- Horrors like the Holocaust.
- Ecological collapse.
The question of progress remains open, with no single answer universally accepted.