Aesthetics

According to the dictionary, aesthetics is “the philosophical theory or set of principles governing the idea of beauty at a given time and place.” Couple that definition with the blurb of the book, and you will have your very short introduction. I was hoping this entry in the book series would be as educational as some of the others, but sadly, it's fairly bland.

It's a primer for understanding the concept, and it might help build confidence in explaining an experience you had with nature, art, or whatever strikes the fancy, but I was hoping for a more linear history lesson than a few modern examples or fairly obvious conclusions one would arrive at after visiting a museum for the first time or participating in a critique.

Do not take my word for it, though. The book covers the objective (colors, shapes, designs, etc.) and the subjective (individual sensations and how what we see evokes these sensations within us). There might be some tibits to take away.

The author does have a challenge with such a short book. How does one explain a sustained “feeling” or sensory perception that a bit of art (or anything for that matter) conveys on whatever level a person deems pertinent at that moment in time? All of our backgrounds are completely different, and our tastes are wildly different. This is just a personal preference, but choosing sex, drugs, and rock and roll to convey these sustained experiences did not do anything for me. It's just one chapter, but it's fairly basic information. It's not a knock in any shape or form. I know it's an introductory book, but I feel like most would fill in the aesthetic blanks without even having to read the chapter. :D

Okay, enough rambling.