Bernard Bolzano : on the concept of the beautiful : a philosophical essay
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Estetika: the central european journal of aesthetics
Publication Date
11-25-2016
Volume
52
Issue
2
First Page
203
Last Page
266
Publisher
The Institute of Art History of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Abstract
An intorduction to an English translation of Bernad Bolzano´s On the Concept of the Beautiful. A neglected gem in the history of aesthetics, Bolzano’s essay on beauty is best understood when read alongside his other writings and philosophical sources. This introduction is designed to contribute to such a reading. In Part I, I identify and discuss three salient ways in which Bolzano’s account can be misunderstood. As a lack of familiarity with Bolzano’s background assumptions is one source of these misunderstandings, in Part II, I elucidate some of his ideas about the psychological processes involved in the contemplation and enjoyment of beauty. In Part III, I situate Bolzano’s discussion of beauty within the more general framework of his ideas about the nature of philosophy, the relation between philosophy and aesthetics, and the place of the concept of beauty within the latter. Part IV is devoted to Bolzano’s discussion of some of his philosophical antecedents, including Kant. In Part V, I raise some objections to Bolzano’s account and indicate how his advocates might respond to them.
Print ISSN
00141291
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2015 Ústav dějin umění Akademie věd ČR, v.v.i. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Livingston, P. (2015). Bernard Bolzano: On the concept of the beautiful: A philosophical essay. Estetika: The Central European Journal of Aesthetics, 52(2), 203-266. Retrieved from https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=296922