دانشنامه زیبایی شناسی

Routledge Companions

by Berys Gaut (editor)

Now in paperback, The Routledge Companion to Aesthetics is an indispensable guide and reference source to the major thinkers and topics in aesthetics. Forty-six entries by a team of renowned international contributors provide clear and up to date information under four headings:1. Historical, from Plato to Heidegger; 2. Aesthetic Theory, from definitions of art to the value of art; 3. Topics in Aesthetics, from environmental aesthetics to high and low art; 4. The Individual Arts, from music to sculpture.
The Routledge Companion to Aesthetics is an essential guide to this important and exciting subject for all those interested in philosophy, literature, art, and visual studies.

Genres: Philosophy, Art, Nonfiction

488 pages, Paperback

First published October 12, 2000

Reviews

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always find it hard to rate books such as these. The objective of reading this was to learn more about the Philosophy of Aesthetics. Due to the book succeeding in this, do I give it a 5?

Will give it a 5/5 because it did what I wanted, but on a 10 scale, it is a 9/10.

Now the review: If you're a beginner, and you want an overview of P of A, this is the place to start! Contains an overview of all the main philosophers who contributed, excellent list of references, and extra reading if you're interested. What more does one need?

I do recommend, however, you do not read this book and stop there. Having gotten a basis, I think it is wise if you delve into whatever area interests you. For me, it is/was "sublime"; hence Burke, Kant and the German idealists will be on my read list soon.

I really liked the chapters on defining art, what makes an art piece aesthetic. Don't overly agree with a lot of the referenced peoples' ideas. They diverge too far from Kant imo and don't really add anything. A lot seemed to be defending against other ideas, rather than formulating their own from their experiences et al. Refer to Schopenhauer for an essay on this!

All-in-all, I give it a 9/10

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was extremely helpful in my German Aesthetics module. Full of helpful and detailed essays about particular philosophers and aesthetics in general.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful survey of aesthetics.

[Marian]

I did not read the whole book, just an essay or two from the beginning. Good intro to the philosophy of aesthetics.

***

Ch 1 - Plato
Art should be edifying above all else (censoring out anything untoward in Homer)
Poets as practitioners of mimesis do not achieve or represent genuine knowledge
Poetry corrupts and should be banned in the ideal City
"[the Form of] beauty (kalon) is love's highest object" and is eternal, unchanging, and divine, only accessible by the intellect
Capital-b Beauty is associated with truth, wisdom, and virtue
The poet may be divinely inspired but Plato ranks them lower than the philosopher-lover (eros).
Also reincarnation?