Scruton on rightness of proportion in architecture

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

British Journal of Aesthetics

Publication Date

1-1-2009

Volume

49

Issue

4

First Page

405

Last Page

414

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Abstract

In The Aesthetics of Architecture, Roger Scruton makes at least four claims about rightness of architectural proportion. The present paper lists those claims, briefly discusses the way they are related, and, finally, selects one as the topic of discussion: the claim that there cannot be an exact, mathematical definition of rightness of proportion. Scruton's arguments for this claim are reviewed. The first is found to be substantially correct, whereas the second is found to rely on a mistaken assumption, namely the assumption that rightness of proportion is relative to a point of view. The paper ends by arguing that either the real or the apparent proportions of a building have to be definitely right, and that neither can be allowed to be definitely wrong.

DOI

10.1093/aesthj/ayp032

Print ISSN

00070904

E-ISSN

14682842

Publisher Statement

Copyright © British Society of Aesthetics 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society of Aesthetics. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

De Clercq, R. (2009). Scruton on rightness of proportion in architecture. British Journal of Aesthetics, 49(4), 405-414. doi: 10.1093/aesthj/ayp032

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