Ideas from 'Recent Aesthetics in England and America' by Roger Scruton [1980], by Theme Structure

[found in 'The Aesthetic Understanding' by Scruton,Roger [Methuen 1983,0-416-36160-9]].

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21. Aesthetics / A. Aesthetic Experience / 1. Aesthetics
Aesthetics has risen and fallen with Romanticism
                        Full Idea: The rise and fall (as we presently perceive them) of aesthetics have been contemporaneous with the rise and fall of Romanticism.
                        From: Roger Scruton (Recent Aesthetics in England and America [1980], p.3)
                        A reaction: Maybe it started a little before Romanticism, as part of the Englightenment aim of being rational about everything, and maybe it survives Romanticism because we want to be scientific about everything.
21. Aesthetics / A. Aesthetic Experience / 2. Aesthetic Attitude
Aesthetic experience informs the world with the values of the observer
                        Full Idea: It is possible to conclude that aesthetic experience has a peculiar practical significance: it represents the world as informed by the values of the observer.
                        From: Roger Scruton (Recent Aesthetics in England and America [1980], p.13)
                        A reaction: An excellent remark. If you look at, or listen to, anything, you can make a conscious effort to drain away your personal values (objectivity; science?), or you can consciously flood them with values. But moral and aesthetic vision must differ...