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Aesthetic/Aesthetics

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterResearch

Abstract

The Danish and English words are derived from the Greek αίσθητά, which means "that which can be sensed." The first modem usage of the word is in the work of the German philosopher Alexander Baumgarten, who in his book 'Aesthetica' (1750-58) defined the beautiful as the sensuous representation of the perfect. Subsequently, aesthetics became the discipline that deals with the beautiful in art and nature. This in turn gave rise to the notion of the aesthete, as a person who to an extreme degree pursues beauty in everything. "The aesthetic" in Kierkegaard's work designates (a) the artistic apprehension of beauty and (b) an existential sphere. "Aesthetics" designates critical reflection on art. By far the most frequent usage of the term by Kierkegaard is in the sense of an existential sphere, though the three senses are interrelated.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationKierkegaards Concepts - Tome I: Absolute to Church
EditorsSteven M Emmanuel, William McDonald, Jon Stewart
Place of PublicationFarnham, United Kingdom
PublisherAshgate Publishing
Pages23-29
Edition1
ISBN (Print)9781472417497
Publication statusPublished - 2013

Publication series

NameKierkegaard Research: Sources, Reception and Resources
Number15

Keywords

  • Religion and Religious Studies
  • Aesthetics
  • History of Ideas

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