Introduction to Aesthetics

Author: Yang Enhuan, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: A theoretical framework like aesthetics is clearly a framework for theoretical aesthetics or foundational aesthetics. The design and conception of this theoretical framework also aims to pay attention to the distinction between theoretical aesthetics and applied aesthetics, solving a long-standing issue in the development of aesthetic theory. Theoretical aesthetics necessarily involves major theoretical problems in aesthetics, either offering new perspectives on old issues or proposing new ones. This book primarily addresses the following aspects:
⑴ The problem of the essence of beauty, advocating for solutions based on Marx's "law of beauty." According to Marx's original intent, the "law of beauty" should be understood as the aesthetic principles of material production. The "law of beauty" touches upon the entire content of the essence of beauty, representing the humanized form of the unity between subjective needs and objective natural laws achieved through practical activity, or in other words, the free form presented by practical activity. This is the philosophical answer to the essence of beauty.
⑵ The problem of the existence of beauty, arguing that social beauty, natural beauty, artistic beauty, and the like are merely existences of aesthetic objects, entities with potential aesthetic value attributes, which can be termed social aesthetic objects, natural aesthetic objects, artistic aesthetic objects, and other systemic existences. While this book insists on arguing from the perspective of the essence of beauty, it also advocates for arguments from epistemology and axiology, which are more practical and can help overcome difficulties.
⑶ This pluralistic approach is beneficial for solving many difficult issues and aligns with reality. For example, aesthetic forms, also known as forms of beauty, would encounter difficulties if limited to explanations based solely on the essence of beauty, especially when dealing with artistic aesthetic forms. In reality, most aesthetic forms are created through the participation of activities triggered by aesthetic motivation. Therefore, they must be studied from multiple angles—ontological, epistemological, axiological, as well as aesthetic psychology, aesthetic morphology, and aesthetic axiology. They should be defined by both material production practice and aesthetic practice, which is more practical and reasonable.
⑷ The study of aesthetic experience must hold a central position in contemporary aesthetic research. A theoretical aesthetics that lacks research on aesthetic experience cannot be considered contemporary aesthetics, let alone the development of symptomatic studies toward scientific progress.
⑸ Aesthetic education, as an important component of aesthetics, must receive significant attention. From an educational perspective, aesthetics itself is a form of education. Strictly speaking, aesthetic education is an activity that selects and applies aesthetic media according to the aesthetic value consciousness of a certain era, infecting and inspiring people's emotions to cultivate and shape their feelings and souls.
⑹ Contemporary aesthetics must have a broad vision, incorporating fundamental theoretical issues of aesthetic culture and the origins of aesthetics into its framework. This involves horizontally expanding the scope and vertically tracing the origins, forming a three-dimensional network of interwoven aesthetics.
In summary, through conscious reflection and careful writing, it is deeply felt that contemporary aesthetics is still an immature discipline and remains a subject under active construction. Many specific issues and aspects still require further exploration and resolution.
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