w11: schopenhauer’s aesthetics dr. meagan louie · 1 introduction 2 schopenhauer’s...

1 Introduction2 Schopenhauer’s Philosophical System

3 Schopenhauer and the Aesthetic Experience4 Kinds of Aesthetic Experience

Ratto di Prosperina-Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Aesthetics For LifeW11: Schopenhauer’s Aesthetics

Dr. Meagan Louie

“stop considering the Where,When, Why and Wherefore ofthings but simply andexclusively consider the What”.

- Schopenhauer

Dr. Meagan Louie

Outline

1 1 Introduction

Dr. Meagan Louie

The Course So Far

1. Philosophy of Art Theories. Eg., Aesthetic VS Contextualist VS Constructivist. . Representation VS Expression

2. Art History Movements. Eg., Classic Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, etc.,

3. Art Theory. Eg., Form Theory, Colour Theory

4. Aesthetic Theories. → Mostly, Kant’s criteria for aesthetic judgements

This Week: Schopenhauer’s Aesthetics

Dr. Meagan Louie

The Course So Far

Dr. Meagan Louie

The Course So Far

Dr. Meagan Louie

The Course So Far

Dr. Meagan Louie

The Course So Far

Dr. Meagan Louie

The Basics of Schopenhauer’s Aesthetics

Schopenhauer’saesthetic theory

1. Relation to his generaltheory of philosophy(The Will and Representation)

2. The primariness of theaesthetic experience(in contrast to Kant’s

aesthetic judgement)

3. The Beautiful,Stimulating and theSublime

Dr. Meagan Louie

2.1 Schopenhauer’s Philosophical Influences2.2 Schopenhauer’s Ontology

Outline

2 2 Schopenhauer’s Philosophical System2.1 Schopenhauer’s Philosophical Influences2.2 Schopenhauer’s Ontology

Dr. Meagan Louie

Schopenhauer’s Philosophical Influences

. . Schopenhauer cited Plato and Kant as his main influences

. . . .

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As in Plato’s Theory of Forms,. Schopenhauer distinguishes between two kinds of realities:

1 Objective Reality: What exists in theworld, independent of any observer(cf.,Plato’s true, immortal FORMS)

2 Subjective Reality: What an observerperceives, as filtered through theirsensory and cognitive processes(cf., imperfect temporal expressions of FORMS)

. (more on Schopenhauer’s ontology in section 2.2)

Dr. Meagan Louie

As in Plato’s Theory of Forms,. Schopenhauer distinguishes between two kinds of realities:

1 Objective Reality: What exists in theworld, independent of any observer(cf.,Plato’s true, immortal FORMS)

2 Subjective Reality: What an observerperceives, as filtered through theirsensory and cognitive processes(cf., imperfect temporal expressions of FORMS)

. (more on Schopenhauer’s ontology in section 2.2)

Dr. Meagan Louie

Schopenhauer was also influenced by the division of reality. as found in the Upanishads (c. 900–600 BCE),

eg., the concepts of

BRAHMAN:→ Ultimate reality of theuniverse/everything

ATMAN:→ Individual reality

Unlike Plato’s distinction, Brahman and Atman are both eternal and constant

Dr. Meagan Louie

Unlike Plato, and as per Kant’s Critique of Judgement,. however, Schopenhauer believed that

1 Aesthetics and art are worthy ofphilosophical examination

2 Beauty should be investigated as asubjective phenomenon

(eg., in terms of its effect on the perceiver,

not the objective properties of the stimulus)

. (more on Schopenhauer’s aesthetics in section 3)

Dr. Meagan Louie

Schopenhauer’s Ontology: The Will and Representations

2.2 Schopenhauer’s Ontology

PLATONIC IDEAS (Universal objects)

SPATIO-TEMPORAL OBJECTS

Direct Objectification

Indirect Objectification

Dr. Meagan Louie

Schopenhauer divides reality into two aspects:. The WILL and REPRESENTATIONS

1 The Will: “a blind, purposeless urge orstriving akin to energy” [Shapshay(2012)](objective reality)

2 Representations: What humansperceive via our cognition/intellect(subjective reality)

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Schopenhauer’s Ontology

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Schopenhauer’s Ontology: The Will [Wicks(2015)]“a blind, purposeless urge or striving akin to energy”

The WILL is subject to two different grades of objectification

Direct objectification into a set ofuniversal objects (Platonic Ideas)

Timeless/spaceless abstract patterns forthe individual objects we perceive

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The WILL is subject to two different grades of objectification

Indirect objectification of the PlatonicIdeas into the individual objects weperceive

These are spatio-temporal objects(i.e., have temporal/spatial boundaries -objects we locate in space and time)

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Schopenhauer’s Ontology

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Indirect objectification is due to human cognition

Humans impose a principle that statesthat everything has a cause/reason(The Principle of Sufficient Reason);

Causality: If X causes Y, then. X 6= Y, and. X temporally precedes Y

For causality to be established, realitymust be perceived as anchored inspace-time

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To satisfy the The Principle ofSufficient Reason, humans break upthe PLATONIC IDEAS intospatio-temporal representations

→ indirect objectification of the Will

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Schopenhauer’s Doctrine of Pessimism [Shapshay(2012)]

Schopenhauer’s Doctrine of Pessimism

Fragmentation of the Will is the root of thehuman condition: Struggle and suffering

The WILL is expressed in thestrivings/struggle of living creatures;they perceive other objects in relationto their own striving will/self

“...sentient beings suffer as virtualslaves to their will to life”[Shapshay(2012)]

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Schopenhauer’s ONTOLOGY [Shapshay(2012)]

.Schopenhauer’s Ontology: SUMMARY so far

The WILL is “a blind, purposeless urgeor striving akin to energy”[Wicks(2015)]

The WILL is subject to objectificationinto REPRESENTATIONS (direct andindirect)

Humans impose the indirectobjectification (spatio-temporalanchoring) to establish causality

Dr. Meagan Louie

Humans impose the indirectobjectification (spatio-temporalanchoring) to establish causality(The Principle of Sufficient Reason)

This causes struggle and suffering(against others)(The Doctrine of Pessimism)

→ The aesthetic experience is oneway to break free from this suffering

Dr. Meagan Louie

3.1 Review: Kant on the Aesthetic Judgement3.2 Schopenhauer on the Aesthetic Experience

Outline

3 3 Schopenhauer and the Aesthetic Experience3.1 Review: Kant on the Aesthetic Judgement3.2 Schopenhauer on the Aesthetic Experience

Dr. Meagan Louie

Schopenhauer’s Aesthetic:

Schopenhauer’s Aesthetic

1 Primariness of the AestheticExperience

2 Aspects of the Aesthetic Experience

3 Varieties of Aesthetic Experience(Beauty and the Sublime)

Dr. Meagan Louie

Review: Kant on the Aesthetic Judgement

Kant’s theory of aesthetics begins withthe aesthetic judgement. eg., “This rose is beautiful’

i.e., He claims that an aestheticjudgement must be

1 subjective2 universal3 disinterested4 and engage the intellect/imagination

Dr. Meagan Louie

Schopenhauer on the Aesthetic Experience

Schopenhauer’s theory of aesthetics starts. with the aesthetic experience

This takes place before the perceiver begins to formulate ajudgement

AESTHETIC JUDGEMENT: a propositional thought- i.e., a kind of knowledge that can be expressed with concepts;as a sentence with a truth-value judgement (“this rose is beautiful”)

AESTHETIC EXPERIENCE: yields knowledge thatis not yet conceptual/propositional

. (Connection with EPISTEMOLOGY)

Dr. Meagan Louie

Normally, we share knowledge via language. - in the form of sentences/propositions

Question: How can we share non-propositional knowledge?

- i.e., how can we share the sort of knowledge that(according to Schopenhauer) the aesthetic experience yields?

→ Class Discussion

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.Question: How can we share non-propositional knowledge?

- i.e., how can we share the sort ofknowledge that (according toSchopenhauer) the aestheticexperience yields?

(i) ARTISTS: Try to embody theknowledge in a work of art

(ii) NON-ARTISTS: Try to capture theexperience propositionally; but thisprocess is always subject to thingsbeing lost in translation

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.Question: But what IS the aesthetic experience?

Ordinary perception/cognition is boundby the “Principle of SufficientReasoning”

This means you usually perceive otherobjects in relation to your own strivingwill/self

When the perceiver achieves “will-less”perception of the world, they achievethe aesthetic experience

Dr. Meagan Louie

.Schopenhauer:

. The aesthetic experience is will-less perception of the world

...to attain such perception, theintellect must cease viewing thingsin the ordinary way - relationallyand ultimately in relation to one’swill - she must “stop consideringthe Where, When, Why andWherefore of things but simplyand exclusively consider theWhat”

Schopenhauer’s WWR, 201,] .quoted from [Shapshay(2012)]

Dr. Meagan Louie

.Schopenhauer:

Recall that for Schopenhauer, beingdriven by the will induces suffering

So achieving “will-less perception” was

“an awesome escape from the penalservitude of willing”

“the painless state that Epicurusprized as the highest good and stateof the gods”

. (Connection with ETHICS)

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.Schopenhauer:

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.Schopenhauer:

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.Schopenhauer:

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.Schopenhauer:

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.CLASS DISCUSSION: Aesthetics and Ethics

1 Do you agree with Schopenhauer? Can the aesthetic experience reducesuffering?

2 Is beauty something we should strive for? Eg., In terms of personalconduct (ethics)? Or even in terms of group conduct (politics)?

Dr. Meagan Louie

Because you are no longer experiencing the world via your will, youare experiencing the Will in a less fragmented way

Platonic Idea

Perception of Platonic Ideas gives you a better insight into the Will -i.e., a better insight into the essential nature of the world

. (Connection with ONTOLOGY)

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Platonic Idea

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Platonic Idea

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4.1 The Aesthetic Experience: The Stimulating VS Beautiful4.2 The Aesthetic Experience: The Beautiful VS Sublime

Outline

4 4 Kinds of Aesthetic Experience4.1 The Aesthetic Experience: The Stimulating VS Beautiful4.2 The Aesthetic Experience: The Beautiful VS Sublime

Dr. Meagan Louie

The Aesthetic Experience: The Stimulating Vs Beautiful

. Schopenhauer distinguishes different kinds of aesthetic experience:

Beautiful objects “meet you halfway”to will-less perception when you beholdthem

The intricacy and/or clarity of theirform makes them betterrepresentatives of their Platonic Ideas

Many objects, however, impede, asopposed to aid, will-less perception

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. Stimulating objects impede will-less perception

. . because they stir you to will-ful action

eg., delicious food, erotica, positivelystimulate you (induce positive willing)

eg., disgusting things negativelystimulate you (induce negative willing)

These objects cannot be perceived inthe indifferent way required foraesthetic contemplation

Dr. Meagan Louie

The Aesthetic Experience: Beautiful Vs the Sublime

. The other kinds of object/stimulus that impede will-less perception:

. Stimuli that are threatening to the human will1

eg., vast mountains, deserts,tigers/bears/wolves,

If you can (i) acknowledge the threat,and then (ii) consciously wrenchyourself away from the threat, you cancontemplate the Platonic Ideas

Schopenhauer categorizes thisaesthetic experience as the sublime

1either physically or psychologicallyDr. Meagan Louie

The Aesthetic Experience: Three Kinds of Objects

1 Beautiful: form leads easily to thewill-less contemplation of the PlatonicIdeas

2 Stimulating: form leads to will-fulldesires (not suitable for aestheticcontemplation)

3 Sublime: form is threatening, but allowsfor will-less aesthetic contemplation

Dr. Meagan Louie

.CLASS DISCUSSION

1 Does Schopenhauer’s analysis of beauty allow for the intuition that“beauty is in the eye of the beholder”? Why or why not?

2 In what ways is Schopenhauer’s analysis of aesthetics similar toKant’s? In what ways is it different?

3 Can you think of ways how aesthetic contemplation is related toETHICS, ONTOLOGY, EPISTEMOLOGY, etc? (i.e., how canaesthetic contemplation interact with other parts of philosophy andlife?)

Dr. Meagan Louie

REVIEW: Schopenhauer’s Aesthetic| Main Concepts

1 The WILL and REPRESENTATIONS

2 Direct objectification of the WILL into Platonic Ideas

3 Indirect objectification of the Platonic Ideas

4 The Principle of Sufficient Reason

5 The Doctrine of Pessimism

6 The Aesthetic Experience vs Aesthetic Judgement

7 Propositional vs Non-Propositional knowledge

8 The Beautiful VS Stimulating VS Sublime

Dr. Meagan Louie

Class Instagram Assignment Option 1@SWU-LCI-AFL (password: swulciafl)

HW Instagram Assignment: Embodying non-propositional Knowledge

1. Find an example of something that different artists havecaptured/embodied in different ways- i.e., different interpretations of the same subject

2. Post these different interpretations to the class instagram, and discussthe differences in the comments

3. Remember to identify with your student code in the comment!

MAKE SURE YOU CITE/ATTRIBUTE YOUR SOURCES!!!

Dr. Meagan Louie

Class Instagram Assignment Option 1@SWU-LCI-AFL (password: swulciafl)

Example: The temples of Angkor (Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, AngkorThom) captured by different artists

1 http://shariblaukopf.com/2015/07/27/temples-and-tuk-tuks/

2 https://sketchaway.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/

cambodia-the-temples-of-ta-prohm-and-angkor-thom/

3 http://www.lizsteel.com/2015/08/

cambodia2015-sketchbook-part-1-temples.html

4 http://www.stephaniebower.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/

working-up-sweat-in-asia.html

5 http://www.stephaniebower.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/

at-angkor-wat-yesterday-afternoon.html

Dr. Meagan Louie

Class Instagram Assignment@SWU-LCI-AFL (password: swulciafl)

Weekly Instagram Assignment - OPTION 2

1. Find/create examples that shows objects that you think are

(i) beautiful,

(ii) stimulating (positive or negative), and

(iii) sublime

2. Explain the kind of object your image shows in the comments, withreference to Schopenhauer’s analysis. (remember to identify with your student code!)

Dr. Meagan Louie

1. Find/create examples that shows two objects which contrast in termsof whether they are

(i) beautiful,

(ii) stimulating (positive or negative), and

(iii) sublime

2. Explain the contrast with a comment, with reference toSchopenhauer’s analysis. (remember to identify with your student code!)

Dr. Meagan Louie

1. Find/create examples that illustrates (or could illustrate)

(i) Something beautiful that reduces suffering

(ii) Something beautiful that confers knowledge

2. Explain how your example fits in with Schopenhauer’s aesthetics witha comment. (remember to identify with your student code!)

Dr. Meagan Louie

References I

Shapshay, Sandra. 2012.Schopenhauer’s aesthetics.In Edward N. Zalta (ed.), The stanford encyclopedia of philosophy,Summer 2012 edn.

Wicks, Robert. 2015.Arthur schopenhauer.In Edward N. Zalta (ed.), The stanford encyclopedia of philosophy,Spring 2015 edn.

Dr. Meagan Louie

w11: schopenhauer’s aesthetics dr. meagan louie · 1 introduction 2 schopenhauer’s...

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