Of all places, I received the following from my insurance agent at Allstate. I thought this was a particularly interesting message in the midst of thinking about beauty. It’s all around us, constantly. We just have to stop to notice it: “A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and played the… Continue reading Noticing Beauty
Category: Philosophy
Review: Umberto Eco On Ugliness
As a followup to Umberto Eco’s History of Beauty, I have also created a presentation on his “On Ugliness” for my course. Surprisingly, I found the images and related passages about ugliness much more interesting than the ones about beauty. As Eco himself notes, the topic of ugliness is one that is written about much… Continue reading Review: Umberto Eco On Ugliness
Moral Monday: Sophie’s Choice
Today’s dilemma is one of the classics from history. This dilemma allegedly occurred during WWII. You are an inmate, imprisoned in a concentration camp. A guard tells you that you must choose one of your two children – a younger daughter or an older son – for him to take to the gas chamber. If… Continue reading Moral Monday: Sophie’s Choice
Changing Perceptions of Beauty
The Guardian recently posted a commentary on new work being displayed by Anna Utopia Giordano. The Guardian commentary declares that art’s great nudes have gone skinny. I chose this as a follow-up t the last post where we looked at the history of beauty, because I think it’s an interesting example of how our concepts… Continue reading Changing Perceptions of Beauty
Umberto Eco’s History of Beauty
An important piece of preparing for my upcoming aesthetic’s course is Eco claims to take a look at beauty historically with no preconceived notions. As far as that task goes, it’s a huge success, and I was personally introduced to a wide variety of artistic styles with which I wasn’t previously familiar. The biggest weakness is that… Continue reading Umberto Eco’s History of Beauty
Moral Monday: Making Rugs
Today’s Moral Dilemma: You are a child slave in Africa, laboring away 18 hours a day making rugs. One night, you have a dream: God comes down from heaven and tells you that no one, not one person in the world, is buying your rugs. Would you feel: Tell us why in the comments!
Review: Susan Sontag On Photography
Why On Photography Matters is one of the most quoted academic works on the subject of photograph, and generally comes up any time you’re having a serious discussion about photography. I recently read it while developing an aesthetics class that is going to focus on questions about what art and beauty are. Photography is one of the… Continue reading Review: Susan Sontag On Photography
What is Beauty? Plato, Beauty, and Knowledge
Plato’s theory of knowledge – his epistemology – can best be understood through thinking about beauty. We are born with all knowledge, he says, but when our soul became trapped in our body at birth, we forgot this knowledge. Learning, then, is similar to remembering. And here on earth, beauty is the easiest way for… Continue reading What is Beauty? Plato, Beauty, and Knowledge
Moral Monday: Communicating Peas
You’ve probably heard of the moral arguments against eating meat, but here’s a new one: When it comes to a plant, it turns out to be not only a what but also a who — an agent in its milieu, with its own intrinsic value or version of the good. Inquiring into justifications for consuming… Continue reading Moral Monday: Communicating Peas
Why Meditation Matters: 33 Reasons to Meditate
I’ve tried meditation on and off a few times over the course of my life, but recently I’ve wanted to make a more concentrated effort at a long-term practice. I’d really like to meditate daily. I’m going to be sharing my experiences here, but to kick things off, I wanted to share some of the… Continue reading Why Meditation Matters: 33 Reasons to Meditate