Looking for an in-text reference for a concept attributed to Kant
June 18, 2013 7:12 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for an in-text reference for a concept apparently put forward by Immanuel Kant. I would like to know where in his own writings this concept was actually addressed.
So basically I'm writing an essay on aesthetics. On the Wikipedia article concerning itself with this subject there is a paragraph on Kant which runs as follows:
"For Kant "enjoyment" is the result when pleasure arises from sensation, but judging something to be "beautiful" has a third requirement: sensation must give rise to pleasure by engaging our capacities of reflective contemplation. Judgments of beauty are sensory, emotional and intellectual all at once."
Basically, there is no citation and I would like to know where, in his own writings, he actually states something along these lines. The especially important part is the idea that judgments of beauty are based on sensory, emotional, and intellectual experiences.
As a bonus, if anyone would like to direct me to similar ideas (or even criticisms *of* this idea) in the writings of other philosophers and academics, that would be greatly welcomed.
Thanks so much.
So basically I'm writing an essay on aesthetics. On the Wikipedia article concerning itself with this subject there is a paragraph on Kant which runs as follows:
"For Kant "enjoyment" is the result when pleasure arises from sensation, but judging something to be "beautiful" has a third requirement: sensation must give rise to pleasure by engaging our capacities of reflective contemplation. Judgments of beauty are sensory, emotional and intellectual all at once."
Basically, there is no citation and I would like to know where, in his own writings, he actually states something along these lines. The especially important part is the idea that judgments of beauty are based on sensory, emotional, and intellectual experiences.
As a bonus, if anyone would like to direct me to similar ideas (or even criticisms *of* this idea) in the writings of other philosophers and academics, that would be greatly welcomed.
Thanks so much.
I'm sure there are people here who know more about German Idealism than me, but I'd guess that Schelling and Hegel probably responded to Kant's theories on these things.
posted by thelonius at 8:31 PM on June 18, 2013
posted by thelonius at 8:31 PM on June 18, 2013
Response by poster: Looking into it some more (that is, if this analysis is anything to go by: http://www.iep.utm.edu/kantaest/#SH2a) I think I disagree with Kant entirely.
"The First Moment. Aesthetic judgments are disinterested. There are two types of interest: by way of sensations in the agreeable, and by way of concepts in the good. Only aesthetic judgment is free or pure of any such interests. Interest is defined as a link to real desire and action, and thus also to a determining connection to the real existence of the object. In the aesthetic judgment per se, the real existence of the beautiful object is quite irrelevant. Certainly, I may wish to own the beautiful painting, or at least a copy of it, because I derive pleasure from it – but that pleasure, and thus that desire, is distinct from and parasitic upon the aesthetic judgment (see sect;9). The judgment results in pleasure, rather than pleasure resulting in judgment. "
I find myself disagreeing pretty strongly with that last sentence -- I think I need someone who sees it the other way around!
posted by heylight at 1:29 AM on June 19, 2013
"The First Moment. Aesthetic judgments are disinterested. There are two types of interest: by way of sensations in the agreeable, and by way of concepts in the good. Only aesthetic judgment is free or pure of any such interests. Interest is defined as a link to real desire and action, and thus also to a determining connection to the real existence of the object. In the aesthetic judgment per se, the real existence of the beautiful object is quite irrelevant. Certainly, I may wish to own the beautiful painting, or at least a copy of it, because I derive pleasure from it – but that pleasure, and thus that desire, is distinct from and parasitic upon the aesthetic judgment (see sect;9). The judgment results in pleasure, rather than pleasure resulting in judgment. "
I find myself disagreeing pretty strongly with that last sentence -- I think I need someone who sees it the other way around!
posted by heylight at 1:29 AM on June 19, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 7:32 PM on June 18, 2013 [3 favorites]