The picture is a harmonious blend of intellectual with the sensual. The sky’s dark blue make the rich and bold red roses pop. This beautiful, rich and smooth blend of colors is very aesthetically pleasing and provides the observer with a sensual experience.The film camera effect, the angle of the click, and the techniques used to edit this picture give the picture an intellectual and mysterious quality. Furthermore, these techniques evoke an observer’s curiosity in figuring out a purpose or a meaning behind this picture and hence the picture becomes open to multiple interpretations. The aesthetic attribute of this picture can evoke many emotions, feelings and ideas but most importantly, a sense of peace. Serenity leads to a blissful state because you are devoid of any negative emotions such as anger and frustration. When people experience inner peace on a micro level, individual peace can lead to a ripple effect and improve society on a macro level.
This abstract artwork depicts plain old trees. Yet for some reason, these abstract trees are mesmerizing to look at. The first time I saw this piece, I thought I could stare at it for hours. And why? It’s only these weird looking trees!
Each tree is a part of the same plane – hence Asawa’s wordplay in the title of the piece (Plane Trees). The uniformness of all the trees in the plane differs from how trees in forests usually are – on slight hills, small valleys and inlets, etc. Very rarely is a walk in the woods completely flat. Yet the way Asawa puts all her trees in the same plane gives me the feeling of getting lost within them and being one with the trees. The viewer is also in the same plane as the trees. The viewer is one of the trees.
Yet each tree is also lacking leaves. Maybe it’s just winter, or maybe the trees are dying. Either way, it evokes some unexplained sadness from the viewer. This piece is beautiful because it makes the viewer feel something. It shows the sadness that comes with the death of nature. Schiller would argue that the beauty of this piece can make us better humans by showing us the importance of nature: the unity between humans and nature, the need to preserve nature.
Both of these images are from the San Joaquin Valley in Central California. I’m from Fresno which is part of the San Joaquin Valley. Images like these have always made me feel proud of where I come from and give me this sense of strength/energy to continue following my dreams. The San Joaquin Valley is known for agriculture and for a large number of hardworking migrant farmworkers who are trying to live the so-called “American Dream”. I have always looked up to these people and looking at pictures like these reminds me of my hard work and motivates me to continue pursuing my goals. I know there will be ups and downs and various obstacles that I will encounter in life but giving up is not an option. Just like these migrant workers, I will work hard to get where I want to be in life.
I feel like this song (and the whole album) really embody what Schiller is trying to explicate in his text. The album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is all about these pulls towards following your sensual self and respecting your intellectual self, away from each other to the point where it could be identified as tearing you apart. However, the backdrop of all of this is something very beautiful, very focused, very harmonious, very intentionally well-designed by a person who is expressing his feelings. The album is 13 songs and 69 minutes long – the themes of opposing intentions coming together as a whole is represented even beyond the lyrics, mood and instrumentals of the content. MBDTF reconciles the opposing head and heart to find something that, while dark, makes people feel good and feel like they’re listening to something great.
Devil in a New Dress in particular describes the inner turmoil that one may feel in chasing something that both your head and your heart are telling you is right. The lyrics describe a love that is unarguably romantic, but the nature of this love is negative. Kanye’s head knows it’s wrong, but it is also very convinced that beyond any moral standard, it is definitely worth it. Meanwhile, the instrumental represents the warmth to the love. In spite of the content of it being morally ambiguous (to say the least), the backdrop to the song is not cold at all. The feeling of this love has a high temperature and our senses indicate that it is very substantive and easy to get lost in. By elucidating the nature of this emotional and intellectual harmonization, Kanye is revealing to his audience how it feels, how one thinks about going through treacherous, romantic love. It is both a cautionary tale and a glorification regarding doing something wrong that you feel and know is right, and what one ultimately takes away from it is entirely dependent on the individual.
Most would describe my taste in music to cover a wide range of genres. I’m always open to listening to new songs and exploring new genres to better understand, not only the music, but also the people that listen to the music. As I got more into music, I found myself to be primarily listening to hip hop being that I like the hype of the community, the compilation of the beats and how they make you feel. However, I have an interest to see why it is that different people prefer different genres.
These past couple weeks though I’ve been exploring the pop rock genre through Harry Styles. My coworker has been obsessed with his music and has been playing his songs on our speakers at work. Most of the time, I’m too focused on getting my work done and miss some of the songs, but for some reason this song stuck out to me. Not only did I like the melody, but when I searched the lyrics and watched the music video I saw the message behind the song. Schiller describes that aesthetic experience harmonizes opposites such as our senses and our intellect. I felt like listening to the this song and watching the video not only puts you in a good vibes mood, but also makes you think about the lengths that you will go for someone or something that you love. The video along with the song also hints at the concept of letting things go if you love them even if their release may be of more benefit to them than you. I hope y’all enjoy the song that I have grown to vibe with because it has a beat that puts you in a toe-tapping mood.
The Rose Window is a commentary on on Infinity. All of the pictures are in multiples of eights: eight sideways is the symbol for infinity and the eighth day is meant to allude to “the day after” the seven days of Creation, which signifies eternity. The Rose Window feels like it is infinitely complex: its colors, shapes, organization. One cannot help but be in awe when one sees the detail and brilliance of the whole window. It is almost too much to take in all at once.
The Rose Window calls us to set our minds on the infinitude of human nature. While bounded by limitation, and so finitude, the human spirit is always has a tension of both finitude and infinitude. Beauty calls us to the latter, beckoning us to walk uprightly before God, and to understand and grapple with the possibilities we are capable of achieving. The moral law is also complex, yet it elicits the same awe that does Beauty, and it is beautiful in a way as well.
Whenever I feel overworked (or just outright lazy), this song comes to mind. Released in 1965, this song became a hit with its beautiful melody and vocals. It’s safe to say this song is pleasurable to most peoples’ ears. However, it also takes a deeper meaning. Behind the lyrics, we hear Lennon crying for help singing “But every now and then I feel so insecure. I know that I just need you like I’ve never done before.” The man is so desperate for help that he hides behind. Additionally, you could argue Ringo (the man in the back) is unhappy as he has to hold in an umbrella, while everyone happily plays (he’s also kind of hidden in the back). Ringo himself is subtly asking for help because he has no real purpose being in this music video. Furthermore, upon watching the music video, it seems as though none of the members (except for John) wants to be there. The real genius is that a band turned their desperate cry for help into a big hit. How many singers turn their pleas into hit songs?
Food is integral to our daily lives. Simply enjoying food itself is an extremely pleasurable experience, yet many would argue that it does not involve much mental stimulation. When we elevate food to the status of art, it merges both the sensual and the intellectual: we look, taste, and smell and it pleases us, yet when we observe high-level cooking, we see the intellectual process involved in its creation. When I get handed some food and I have to say, “It’s a work of art,” I am not only admiring the delicious flavor of the food, I also admire the craft of cooking: the thought that went into the creation of the flavor profile, the techniques used to create the most desirable texture, and the perfect plating that elevates food to an art form. Food is the pinnacle of Schiller’s philosophy. Congruently with Schiller’s philosophy, food also makes us morally better. It brings people together. When we eat together, we become friendly with one another and feel less ill will toward one another. When our friends are sick or stressed, we can cook for them and (hopefully) this will make them more inclined to do so to others as well.
In 2017, a new figure appeared on Wall Street. Known as “Fearless Girl” the statue was created to call attention to the lack of women on company boards as well as the pay gap between men and women’s wages. While “Charging Bull”, modeled after the bull market, is supposed to represent the fast moving American economy, “Fearless Girl” gives the bull a whole new meaning, the masculinity of corporations. The girl’s dominant stance, her eyes staring straight at the oncoming bull, and the bravery flowing off of her silhouette beg us to see the issues within our businesses. The courage of this little girl makes us ask ourselves what we can do to change the world around us. The charging bull’s narrowed eyes are full of concentration and determination towards achieving it’s goal of a growing economy, not caring about the child standing in front of it. On the other hand, the girl’s eyes are not just fearless but determined as well, but not determined to run across anything in her path but instead she has determined that the problems we face now will be changed. The girl’s dress and hair being blown back in the wind shows that she knows the trials approaching but yet she still looks ahead, as if she can feel the bull coming towards her. The stance is reminiscent of Wonder Woman with her hands on her hips, a woman of power and strength with the ability to make change. The emotions behind this statue call us to make changes to our world, causing this piece to make society better morally. Will you stand up or will you back down when troubles come?
I came across this song randomly one evening. It caught my attention for some reason. Not because it’s a Japanese song in an American 90’s rock-n-roll playlist. It’s the grooves and the way the music feel. It was just pleasantly pleasing. I could close my eyes and just listen to the song. When I went to read the comment I saw that there are hundreds of people who were experiencing the same thing I was experiencing. A random YouTube recommendation of some 1980’s Japanese music. Like other commenters, I had no idea what this song was about. More than half of the song is in Japanese with some occasional English phases like “Im Sorry” “Don’t Hurry”. From the Rhythm of music I felt this sense of urgency. Suddenly the singer began repeatedly sing this English phrase,
“I’m just playing games I know that’s plastic love Dance to the plastic beat Another morning comes”
then the song end. Listening to this song for the second time gave me all kind of mixed emotions. The music is pleasing and relaxing. But at the same time it’s creating this sense of urgency contrasted with a sudden shout of “Don’t Hurry”. The language barrier made me curious of what she is saying. but at the same time I felt like I understood what she was saying. At that point I just gave and said to myself “it doesn’t matter that the song is about, it feel relatable and I enjoy it.”
Schiller’s ideas made me think about this song. A random 1980’s Japanese song uniting people from across the world. It one of those thing that’s just pleasing and we don’t have to know what it’s about to enjoy it.
Something that is aesthetically pleasing is usually considered beautiful. The word aesthetic is usually paired with senses, in specific sight and hearing. This song by The Shakes, in my opinion, represents both of those senses. The video itself is pleasing to the eye and captivates one’s attention. It starts off as an old-time movie in black and white, and this then shifts to the actual music video in color. The use of colors in this video help to give it different vibes that invoke different reactions due to the meanings of different colors. It also helps to give it a nostalgic feel. In addition to this, the sound of the music (starts at about 1:15) is very slow and helps to give it an indie feel. When listening to this song, one can picture themselves in certain scenarios. This will vary from person to person due to our different experiences. This invokes both the sensual and intellectual aspects because, through its use of the senses, one can feel emotional and/or physical pleasure and this can cause one’s mind to think about certain situations and create ideas or emotions that tie into the intellectual part of aesthetics. Through its effect on one’s emotions and thoughts, music becomes aesthetic.
With the recent fires in Australia, many of us are aware of the mere existence of forest fires. However, it is hard to grasp the impact of such fires as all we see on the news are just some trees on fire and not the millions of animals affected by forest fires. The image speaks sensually as we feel remorse for the disappearing monkey who is vanishing due to the forest fires that we humans have caused. It speaks to us intellectually as it informs us of the true impact of forest fires and that we need to act in order to see change. These sensual and intellectual feelings merge to create a sense of responsibility as we feel guilt and seek change. This also helps us become morally better people as it tells us to fix the problems we have created since it not only affects us but others as well.
Touch is typically depicted as one of the five main human senses, yet in a truer sense one could argue that touch is every sense. Sight is light interacting receptors in the eyes, taste is molecules interacting with taste buds, hearing is sound-waves interacting with bones in the ear, smell is the interaction of olfactory receptors with molecules. To put simply, touch is the only true sense that allows us to experience the senses at all. Without touch, we cannot enjoy the true Beauty that surrounds us.
The song begins with a distorted, almost alien culmination of sounds with a voice remembering the sensation of touch of which it has lost, which without it does not know where it belongs, yet recognizes that even with touch it still asks for something more beyond touch. Why is that? With Schiller’s philosophy, I would argue the individual, despite enjoying its memories of touch, they were only memories of sensual experiences. The voice emphasizes the waves of emotions that came with the sense of touch, more specifically a kiss, which brings with it a sudden upbeat liveliness to the song describing, “hunger like a storm”, which touch satisfies this hunger too well as the song mellows from its climax, stating, “You’ve given me too much to feel”, the individual is overwhelmed by sensual experience. Without intellectual thought to which the individual can answer the questions behind what touch has brought to them and its meaning. They are overwhelmed and still unable to convince themselves of their existence. In other words, there is a meaning to life that goes beyond simply experiencing the aesthetics surrounding us rather as human beings, as our given nature is not to only use our senses but also our intellect to appreciate any type of Beauty.
My favorite music artist right now is a band called LANY. My friend introduced me to them 3 weeks ago and I haven’t been able to stop listening to their music.
The aesthetic experience that I choose to explore is the song “Malibu Nights.” It is about a breakup and all the good memories that are always on your mind after you have your heart broken. Music is something that is a part of life. Music can put sound to complex emotions like love, heartbreak, revenge, loss or to something as simple as taking a walk in nature. Perhaps the most powerful aspect of music is that it allows a person to delve into the feelings of others. In “Malibu Nights”, the listener can feel the sadness of heartbreak even if they have never had their heart broken before. Or if their heart has been broken before, the song brings them back to that time and everything they felt. The ability to feel these harsh and real emotions through music allow listeners to have a sensory experience.
In addition, the fact that music gives insight into others emotions it allows humans to gain intellectual knowledge about another human’s emotional experience. Though, you may have never felt heartbreak or gone through a breakup, you can feel how devastating it is through music. You can learn about another person’s life and really begin to understand the trails and tribulations that life throws at all people. This would allow us to expand our knowledge of how to treat others and what morals we should have as a society. If through music, we can understand each other, than there is hope that with that understanding comes the ability to treat everyone with respect and kindness all people deserve because we all feel the same emotions.
Music can bring forth your own emotions and also give you a window into another person’s emotions. This can help all people to learn how even at the most basic level, all people are human because of our shared emotions.
A simple image of the sun obtruding among clouds is an aesthetically gratifying image distinguishing the contrast between the darkness of the clouds and the intense light focused on the sun. The image pleases the sensual perspective through the retention and expression of colors that nature presents as pure beauty. The analysis of such defining characteristics also stimulates intellectual thinking with the elements of darkness that results from the shade the clouds provide. Now an intellectual will want to pursue an explicit explanation for such events, including the embodiments of the very clouds that cause the results as well as the aesthetically pleasing array of colors. In essence, I believe this photo serves as a metaphor in comparing the vibrant visuals the sun produces as sensual emotions and the crisp clouds as the intellect. The two portions of the image are essential to the overall aesthetic that develops into the idea of a general will and universal law since the cooperation is required between the two entities. The ecumenicity of such reasons is contributed to moral growth in individuals as they will believe in the efforts of the general will.
“Euler’s Identity is the most beautiful math equation!”
– literally every single math professor
EULER’S IDENTITY
Euler’s identity is often regarded as “the most beautiful math equation” because of its foundational role in mathematics. It relates to many aspects of math, such as trigonometry, imaginary numbers, natural logs, etc. In a very simple and concise equation, Euler’s identity ties together many different mathematical concepts. Each one of the symbols and numbers represents a fundamental idea in math. For instance, ‘0’ is a unique and only number that represents Null or None out of all the different mathematical expressions. ‘1’ is precisely the complete opposite of 0, and all numbers is a summation of ones. ‘e’ is a unique constant that often describes many natural phenomenons. ‘i’ is the definition and stem of imaginary/complex numbers, an entirely different system of irrational numbers. ‘pi’ is the constant that is almost guaranteed to appear when dealing with rotations and waves, such as circles, spheres, traveling waves. Euler’s Identity, outside of its theoretical significance, also is a useful tool in many different disciplines; It is useful in electrical engineering, quantum physics, multivariable calculus, physics, etc.
Nonetheless, it is interesting how one equation can be used to describe many things in nature. Many different theories, disciplines, and reasoning all somehow lead to this one equation. Aesthetics is defined as “a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art.” Euler’s Identity, despite its somewhat confusing mathematical representation, might be an indication that the creation of our world isn’t entirely based on chance. Perhaps, this is the beauty of math; It connects our fragmented knowledge into a cohesive understanding. Perhaps, math is just another tool for us to realize the beauty and order of nature. On this note, maybe math isn’t so different from art. This sparks a series of questions: What makes math and art different and similar? Does math has its limits? What is the end goal of scientific studies? Is it be possible that there is an unknown principle law, analogous to Euler’s Identity in math, that governs our life?
Music is one of the greatest things that has ever been invented. It is something we all have in common as we listen to it on a daily basis. It is such a major aspect of society that people are able to make a profession out of it. There are many songs that bring pleasure and joy to our hearts, the one above is one of those classics that everybody enjoys. Besides the catchiness of the melody and Mr.Astley’s incredible dance moves, the lyrics of the song itself invoke a sense of illusion and excitement. The story encompasses Rick expressing his feelings for a certain someone whom he has known for a while now. Lyric’s follow as ‘A full commitment’s what I’m thinking of, You wouldn’t get this from any other guy.’ Basically saying what any person wishes to hear from their significant other. Prof. Watkins said that art ‘is an object of impulse, thus effective on our sensibility, and capable of changing people’s orientation.’ Imagine that the person whom this song was directed towards thought they had been friend zoned as time went on and no moves were being made; however after hearing this song and its aesthetic meaning, their heart is filled with pleasure and their orientation is completely changed to a more positive approach. Anyone who has gone through a similar situation can account that the aesthetic experience behind it all allows one to become better and happier individuals.
Music is arguably one of the most important languages of all time. It transcends common limitations many languages face and connects us in a way that is only rivaled by mathematics. It is, by definition, aesthetic. Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy, is an amazing example of this phenomenon. It is a piece designed to be played by a pianist and has no lyrics, yet it still seems to convey a message. From its composition and harmonious melodies, it tells a story from nothing. It expresses the highs and lows, happy moments and sad moments, and even the fleeting and lasting moments of life. It merges the emotions we gain from listening to this beautiful piece of music to something more tangible. It connects it to something on a more intellectual level. In essence, we derive something (meaning) out of what appears to be nothing. This is something that is truly unique to humans and what sets us apart from every other sentient being that we know exists. It also gives us a duty. A responsibility, even. We must be the moral authority that all creatures look to on this planet. Humans have the amazing ability to see beyond what is in front of us. This already makes us better morally in relation to all other creatures on this world. However, does it make us better than one another? The answer can be both yes and no. I think the answer is irrelevant in the eyes of a secure person. Rather, we should be using our gift to simply help one another. To promote a better future and have a fulfilled life. By doing that, we will have proved Schiller; we will have become morally better. And to think, it was a song with no lyrics that spurred us down this path of righteousness. Music is truly a gateway to a better mind and existence.
This is one of the most famous painting by Monet. It actually belongs to a series of three paintings, called Woman with a Parasol. This is the first one and it depicts his wife Camille and their son. Camille was diagnosed with cancer when Monet drew this painting. Instead of expressing his grief in the painting, he used bright colors and captured this joyful moment of their family. When I first saw this painting, I can only feel the happiness and pleasure until I was told the story behind it. Besides creating a sense of empathy, I’m also impressed by his great skills and his attitudes towards life. Paintings can be a great example of merging the sensual and intellectual. The contrast between the story the painting appears to tell and the actual story behind it can be really effective in telling people how to live a proper life. It reminds people to be positive and to value every moment we are experiencing. I think it is also saying that every single person is an individual entity, family and friends are important but we have our own lives to live and our own goals and missions.
The pictures presented below are of a succulent garden, and a green roof. I think these two examples of landscaping and architecture express Schiller’s aesthetics fairly well. They both produce a picturesque scenery that complements both man made structures, and the surrounding vegetation, all while providing environmental benefits.
The succulent garden uses less water than a typical grass lawn, and fairs well against hot weather, resolving the issue of opting for a barren lawn for the sake of water conservation. In addition to this, its easy maintenance provides a way of introducing newcomers to gardening, without the fear of “messing up”
Green roofs provide replace traditional roofs with vegetation growing at the top of the building. In doing this they help cool down the surrounding area via transpiration, instead of heating it, as is the case when dark roofs absorb the sunlight.
While encouraging people to make a positive impact of the environment, these structures also provide a place to be inspired. They allow people to take up new hobbies, such as drawing and gardening. They can also serve as a resting place where people can just take in the sight. In these listed benefits a person becomes moral, since they serve in their duty towards the preservation of the planet, and provide outlets where a person can self-reflect in their actions.
“[God] also gave me this as an outlet. This is what music is for me. When I feel something, whether it’s anger, it’s a passion about something, or fustration, like, this is where I go. … This is a therapy for me.“
Nathan John Feuerstein, NF
The quote from above is in the last few minutes of the song. He breaks down why music is such a powerful tool – it is more than just sounds and noise, rather it is something that helps heal. Real music to him is the unification of truth and aesthetic.
If you haven’t heard some of NF’s music outside of his hit songs (like Lie and Let You Down), it can get very dark. Motifs of abuse, depression, and struggling with mental health are interwoven into all his music and it can be very intense. However, this kind of music, in my opinion, is a perfect example of the unification of the faculties. Using music as an outlet is freeing in the exact way Schiller believes art to be a tool that gives us freedom from the constraints of society. In this song, NF addresses the negative perspectives towards his music ( Ex. “Hearing these parents, they telling their kids / My music is violent, you gotta be kidding me”). However in saying “I am not here for acceptance”, he unabashedly raps about difficult subjects like domestic violence in his songs. Moreover, he expresses that he creates for himself, which is in itself an act of freedom. It also can make the audience morally better by opening discussions for mental health to be spoken about more openly. I also really love how you can feel his emotions through his style of rapping and overall tone of the song and video.
This song by Chris Tomlin helps me significantly in letting go of pride. The lyrics are fairly simple: Lay me down I’m not my own. The song helps me realize what I actually care about in life. With this, it allows me to let go of any worries or fears I have currently. This makes me a better person for several reasons. First off, it causes me to care more about the people around me and value them because I’m less focused on my own pride. Meanwhile, it also gives me energy and motivation to live my best life.
http://www.davidebonazzi.com/news/category/history/2 This piece of art was made for BBC world histories magazine talking about the cold war. One of the main headlines was whether nuclear weapons have brought world peace through mutually assured destruction. The immediate reaction to the image is probably negative since it includes the classic shape of the atomic bomb and brings up all the negative associations of world war 2 with it. The contrast of the dove as a symbol of peace makes you overcome your initial reaction and wonder what it means. The people are removed from the place where the bomb went off. It made me think about how the losses of war are usually justified by hope for a better future after the war, and how it’s easier for people to think in this way when they aren’t caught up in the crossfire themselves.
