If aesthetics is the study of feelings and emotions (reflectivity) of information ordered in a certain manner then it lies within the domain of psychology, neurology, and cognitive science. In that case aesthetics is a subset of science or it does not exist as a valid inquiry. But since "information ordered in a certain way" is a projected structuring of information, we must ask what cognitive, cultural, and idiosyncratic patterns induce it. Presumably, the cultural inducements may have priority over the cognitive since cognition seems to be much more variable than cultural patterns (more flexible and more "fanciful").
So then, it seems to me that aesthetics as a distinct subject is either replaced by psychology and cognitive sciences or it is replaced by cultural studies. Art history, and its objects, and art are quaint relics of a pre-scientific investigation of mind and culture. They are necessary forms of responsive human endeavor but if we really want to know about feelings, emotions, reflectivity, and preferences for ordering information, we need to pursue neurology first, and cultural patterns second. Aesthetics does not exist anymore. it has been absorbed into bigger, more revealing inquiries. WC --- On Tue, 8/5/08, Saul Ostrow <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: Saul Ostrow <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: "...Aesthetics collapsed in 1970 under the weight of Theodor > Adorno's Aesthetic Theory." > To: "aesthetics list" <[email protected]>, "Allan Sutherland" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 5:59 AM > These are not aesthetic isues - but art historical and > philosophical ones - > the question of aesthetics are those of why does the > ordering of certain > information in a certain manner create invoke, or induce a > stronger and > perhaps more meaningful (pleasurable) self-reflective > experience than > another - as for Adorno - it seems that such experiences > generated by works > of art were no longer possible because of historical and > cultural conditions > - my understanding is that aesthetics has to do with the > quality of > experience not art - > > > > From: Allan Sutherland <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Reply-To: <[email protected]> > > Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2008 15:43:13 +0900 > > To: <[email protected]> > > Subject: Re: "...Aesthetics collapsed in 1970 > under the weight of Theodor > > Adorno's Aesthetic Theory." > > > > why > > are art works art and some artists better than others, > for two examples.
