The Aesthetic Experience: Why the Grand Canyon is beautiful and concrete walls are not – Part 2

Emotional Nature of the Aesthetic Experience

The primary elements involved in an aesthetic experience are primarily emotional in nature rather than tangible propositions or ideas. The ability to please greatly affects the aesthetic experience. But the aesthetic experience is deeper than mere hedonistic properties. The quality of the emotion is more important than the pleasure produced by the observed object. These emotive elements of the aesthetic experience culminate in an intuitive or instinctive emotion of completion or fulfillment. 

 

Rational Component of the Aesthetic Experience

What place then does the rational or the thinking play in the aesthetic experience? I propose that the rational enhances or refines the aesthetic experience. All humans naturally by intuition or instinct have common aesthetic experiences especially in relation to natural wonders. But the student of the arts refines and “specializes” his aesthetic intuition through study of both history and art skill. The result is almost a customized aesthetic experience. For instance, an object of art may not be appreciated by the common person, but the art specialist will appreciate the object of art in a much more enhanced and refined manner. The same is true of non-artisans; we (I include myself as unskilled in art or art history) refine our aesthetic experience by what we study or constantly expose ourselves to whether formally or informally, knowingly or unknowingly. Thus while I enjoy a beautiful scene in nature like most people, I also enjoy reading good literature because I purposely study and have learned to enjoy the well-thought (or not so well-thought) written medium. Others thoroughly enjoy well done classical music and opera. I’m convinced these are primarily culturally learned (rationally refined) aesthetic experiences. 

The Aesthetic Experience: Why the Grand Canyon is beautiful and concrete walls are not – Part 1

In the early morning just as the sun is peaking over the rugged hills, the tranquil Sea of Galilee always stirs something within the person that whispers, “That is beautiful…”  The aesthetic experience is a common occurrence among all persons regardless of ability, social class, education, or gifts. What unifies this aesthetic experience? Is there a common foundation among all persons?

 

Brief Description of the Aesthetic Experience

What qualifies as an aesthetic experience? Can all experiences become an aesthetic experience or is there a unique qualification for the aesthetic experience? I think the aesthetic experience is a form of absorption where the moment sweeps up the observer in itself. The aesthetic experience is the savoring of an attitude or aura. The aesthetic experience is the enjoyment of the moment in and of itself in a conscious yet unconscious way. Seemingly then all experiences can become aesthetic experiences if that experience is enjoyed in and of itself.

 

Relationship of the Arts and Theology

In relationship to the arts, the aesthetic experience can only fully bloom when interacting with a work of art. Nature itself is the artwork of God and thus most fully initiates the aesthetic experience. I personally enjoy nature and like spending time hiking and camping in nature. I just love to absorb the natural wonders from the massive mountains with varied rock faces to the small moss that clings to the trees.

In relationship to theology, the aesthetic experience is the knowledge of God seen in reality. The sublime plays a major role in our aesthetic experience with God, for God is immense and mysterious. He is terrifyingly holy and beyond comprehension. Yet He is compassionate and immanent. These tensions we see in God form the sublimity of God.  When we see what we know of God correlating with our life, we then aesthetically experience God in a unique way.

Aesthetics: Why the Grand Canyon is beautiful and concrete walls are not

The theory of beauty (aesthetics)  is often neglected in contemporary Christian thought. Last spring, I enrolled in a philosophy class entitled Aesthetics because I thought it was an interesting, underdeveloped field in my academic circles. When a speaker addresses aesthetics, it is always in the context of music; and usually the speaker fails miserably in his evaluation. But before launching into a discourse about aesthetics, I want to question the relevance of studying aesthetics.

 

The Validity of Aesthetics

Who cares about the study of beauty? I personally really struggle with the validity of studying the arts especially the fine arts (e.g. painting, sculpture, and art music). To me, devoting ones life to art almost seems like a waste of time. Nevertheless, the arts do affect our lives more than we probably realize. Practically, every webpage you visit or sign you look at has some kind of design whether intentional or not. Even the books and newspapers you read are formatted into a specific font or layout. The arts affect our daily lives, and they serve an important and valid purpose.

 

The Relevance of Aesthetics

How then does the study of beauty (aesthetics) have any relevance?

First, aesthetics helps define art or at least strives to define art. What is art? What I described above was a more functional art – but what about art for art’s sake? How does nature connect with aesthetics?

Second, everyone seems to have their own idea of what is beautiful although with great overlap (otherwise we couldn’t have genres of music, art, or writing that people enjoy together). Aesthetics then asks the question – how do we define beauty? Is there an objective standard of beauty outside of us?

Third, all art affects us in some aspect whether it inspires us, arouses us, or simply bores us. What is the aesthetic experience? What place does ugliness play in the beautiful? And does art have any moral affect upon us? Often philosophers make a connection between the beautiful (aesthetics) and the moral (ethics).

Fourth, personally I am very interested in the ramifications of theology upon aesthetics. What is the effect of our unrelenting bent to evil on our idea of the beautiful? How does the gospel affect our concept of the beautiful? How should we reflect the beautiful in the church? How do we engage the arts from our theological perspective? How does the imagination express itself in our theological beliefs?

I’m sure you could think of many more questions. I just hope to stimulate thinking in an area that receives very little, serious thought among most theologians and Christians.