The Foundations of Aesthetics

Abstract

Introductory Notes.- I The World of Shapes, Colours and Sounds in Direct Aesthetic Evaluations.- 1 Interpretation in Aesthetic Experiences.- Direct Aesthetic Evaluation and "Functional" Evaluation-Concept of Interpretation.- 2 Sensory Qualities.- The Beauty of Sensory Qualities, the Beauty of the Configuration of Quality and the Beauty of Concrete Objects-The Aesthetic Appraisal of Colour and Sound.- 3 Configurations in Space or Time Not Based on Qualitative Relations.- Types of Configurations-The Beauty of Spatial Form-Rhythm.- 4 Configurations of Colours and Spatial Forms.- A Play of Colours-Configurations of Colour Patches in Art-The Configuration of Solids.- 5 The Organization of Tones in Music.- Musical Intervals-The Construction of Melody-Consonances in Musical Configurations-Modes-Modulations-Polytonality-Traditional Music and Other Types of Musical Configurations-On Arbitrariness in Interpreting Musical Structure-What Does "Understanding Music" Mean?-On the Rules of An Aesthetic Configuration.- 6 The Appearance of Real Objects.- Configurations of Sensory Qualities and Objective Interpretation- The Influence of Objective Interpretation on the Shaping of Configurations of Sensory Qualities-Not Only Appearance Decides- The Beauty of Individual Objects.- II On Arts Reproducing Reality.- 7 Two Realities in Art.- The Concept of Reproduction-The Image-Images in the Arts- Images in Music-Musical Illustration-Images Which " Do Not Speak for Themselves "-Reproduction by Description-Figurativeness of Description and Non-Imaginary Thinking-The Sequence of Representations-Narration in Images-Aesthetic Attitudes Towards Reproductive Works.- 8 The Problem of Realism.- "The Object Represented" and the Work's " Designate "-Two Fundamental Conceptions of Realism-Realism of Content-Individual Fidelity-Genre Realism-The Realism of the Particular Components of Content-Realism of Execution-Realism of Execution and Description-Illusionism-Realism Establishing a Hierarchy on the Basis of Objective Norms-Subjective Realism- Psychological Realism-Psychological Realism in Painting and Sculpture and Psychological Realism in Acting-The Relativization of the Concept of Realism-" Socialist Realism "-The Aesthetic Values of Realism in Art.- 9 The Mode of Interpreting Content and Relation to a Preconceived Theme.- The Composition of Narration in Literary Works-Mode of Emphasizing Content in Paintings-Relation to Theme.- 10 The Direct Beauty of the Reproducing Object.- The Direct Aesthetic Value of Reproducing Works and Their Reproductive Function-The Configurations of Colours and Forms in Pictures-The Acoustic Value of Poetical Works.- 11 The Value of Reality Reproduced.- The Slogan "Not What, But How "-Communing with Objects Through the Medium of Pictures-The Image as a Substitute for Beautiful Reality-The Beauty of Described Objects in Literary Works-The Aesthetic Value of " Extra-Aesthetic " Properties of the Object Reproduced-Two Phases in Artistic Creativeness- Reproducing Arts and the Need for Impressions.- 12 Symbolic Art.- Symbolism in Art-Two Types of Symbolic Works-Symbolism and Aesthetic Experiences.- 13 "Harmony of Content and Form".- III The Problem of Expression.- 14 Expressive Signs.- The Function of Expression-The Division of Expressive Signs in the View of the Origin of Their Expressiveness-Expression of the Human Body and Expression in Works.- 15 Aesthetic Value and the Expressing of Psychic States.- Expression and Reproduction-The Threefold Value of Expressing Objects-Empathy-Animation-The Communication of Experiences- The Value of Contents Expressed.- 16 Two Concepts of Expression in Aesthetics.- Expression in the Passive and Active Sense-Connections Between the Two Concepts of Expression-The Threefold Origin of Expression in the Active Sense-The Suggestion of Emotional States and Aesthetic Experiences-The Variety of Factors of Evaluation of Expressive Objects.- IV The Foundations of Aesthetics.- 17 Nature and Art.- Nature in Aesthetics-The Beauty of Nature and Unintended Beauty-The Scope of Art and the Concept of Creativeness-The Peculiar Beauty of Nature-The Conviction Regarding the Creator's Intentions-Intention and Execution-Purposiveness- Purposiveness in Nature-Creativeness-The Craftsmanship of Ensembles-The Aesthetics of Nature and the Aesthetics of Art.- 18 What are Aesthetic Experiences?.- The Sphere of Aesthetic Values-Types of Aesthetic Experiences -Emotional Experiences on the Borderline of Aesthetics-The Concept of Aesthetic Stand-The Aesthetic Attitude to Objects- Disinterested Contemplation-" Living for the Moment "-" Living for the Moment " and Aesthetic Contemplation.- 19 Beauty and Creativeness.- Aesthetic Values and Aesthetic Experiences-Two Conceptions of Value-Interference of Two Centers of Interest-The Psychology of Aesthetic Emotions and the Science Dealing with Artistic Creativeness-Aesthetic Contemplation and Creative Experiences.- 20 Art and Culture.- Heterotelic Factors in the Development of Art-A Twofold Tradition- Special Values and Multifold Tasks-Criteria of Greatness.- Supplement 1 On Subjectivism in Aesthetics.- Supplement 2 On Research Concerning the Origin of Art Artistic Creativeness and Sexual Life.- Supplement 3 The Role of the Social Milieu in Shaping of Public Reactions to Works of Art.- " Objective " and " Subjective " Appraisals-The Influence of Evaluation Accepted by a Social Group on the Emotional Reaction of the Individual-Emotional Attitudes to Certain Subjects and Forms-The influence of the Social Milieu on the Interpretation of Works of Art-" Attitudes Towards Life " and Aesthetic Sensitivity.- Supplement 4 The Educational Potentialities of Artistic Creativeness.- Index of Names.- List of Illustrations.