Aesthetics, << ehs THEHT ihks, >> also spelled esthetics, is the study of theories that apply to the arts in a broad and fundamental way. People think about aesthetics when they ask why some things are beautiful and some are not, or whether there are basic rules for creating or interpreting good paintings, poems, and music.
Aestheticians study the arts in general. They compare arts from different cultures and from different periods of history, in order to organize our knowledge of them systematically. For many years, the study of beauty was regarded as the central problem of aesthetics. Now the subject has broadened to include many other aspects of art. Aestheticians try to understand how art is related to what people feel, to what they learn, and to the cultures in which they live. To gain this understanding, they collect, organize, and interpret information about the arts and aesthetic experience. Aestheticians try to find whether there are standards of art criticism. This helps people appreciate different kinds of art and judge them intelligently.
In addition to studying theories about works of art, aestheticians want to understand artists and audiences. They can understand art better if they have learned how artists imagine, create, and perform, and what makes artists’ activities different from the work of nonartists. They also try to understand what happens to people’s feelings when they experience art. Aestheticians study how art affects people’s moods, beliefs, and values.
Aesthetics is the youngest branch of philosophy to be given its own name, which was first used in the late 1700’s. But philosophers from the ancient Greeks to the present day have discussed the philosophy of art. Almost all of them have talked about whether art is good for people and for society. Some point out that art can have dangers as well as benefits, and a few argue that art and artists are so disruptive that they threaten the social order. But most philosophers believe art is good because it allows us to express our emotions, teaches us about ourselves and the world, or communicates the traditions of different times and cultures.
Aestheticians use art history to understand the art of previous times. They use the psychology of art to learn how our senses interact with our imagination and understanding when we experience art. Art criticism serves as a guide to enjoy each individual work of art. The social sciences, such as anthropology and sociology, help aestheticians understand how creating and appreciating art relate to other human activities. The social sciences also indicate how art varies in relation to physical, social, and cultural environments.
See also Art and the arts ; Philosophy (Aesthetics) .
