Abstract

This philosophical paper explores the aesthetic argument for landscape conservation. The main claim is that the experience of beautiful landscapes is an essential part of the good human life. Beautiful landscapes make us feel at home in the world. Their great and irreplaceable value lies therein. To establish this claim, the concepts of landscape and “Stimmung” are clarified. It is shown how “Stimmung” (in the sense of mood) is infused into landscape (as atmosphere) and how we respond to it aesthetically. We respond by resonating or feeling at home. The paper ends by indicating how art can help us to better appreciate landscape beauty. This is done by way of an example from contemporary nature poetry, Michael Donhauser’s Variationen in Prosa, which begins with “Und was da war, es nahm uns an” (“And what was there accepted us”).

Highlights

  • This philosophical paper explores the aesthetic argument for landscape conservation

  • The loss of landscape beauty would affect the quality of my life, but only marginally: I love beautiful landscapes and believe that they are irreplaceable

  • The loss of landscape beauty would affect the quality of my life fundamentally: The experience of natural beauty is a necessary part of my good life

Read more

Summary

Thought Experiment

Think of your favourite places in nature, where you like to go hiking or cycling or where you just like to be, watching, listening, feeling, enjoying it all. Imagine that all these places no longer exist, that natural beauty has become extinct How would this affect the quality of your life? Let me go back to the question I started with: How would a world devoid of landscape beauty affect your quality of life? A world lacking natural beauty, would be an impoverished world, just like a world lacking music or painting would be impoverished This would not prevent me from being able to have a fairly good life. 3. The loss of landscape beauty would affect the quality of my life fundamentally: The experience of natural beauty is a necessary part of my good life. The thought experiment that I asked you to perform is about how the loss of landscape beauty would affect the objective quality of your life.). I will stick to what I believe are the most probable answers

Main Claim
Method
The Concept of Landscape
Larger Natural Unit
Larger Natural Unit in Autonomous Aesthetic Contemplation
The Concept of “Stimmung”
Harmony
Atmosphere
How “Stimmung” is Infused into Landscape
Associative Model
Animistic Model
Expressive Model
Ways of Experiencing Landscape “Stimmung”
Empathy
Sympathy
Infection
Aesthetic Contemplation
How Beautiful Landscapes Make Us Feel at Home in the World
Three Understandings of Feeling at Home
Aesthetic Education

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.