The Relationship Between Perception with Aesthetic Experience and Beauty in Leibniz’s Aesthetics

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Candidate of Philosophy of Art, Bu’ali Sina University, Hamadan

2 Assistant Professor of Philosophy of Art Department, Bu’ali Sina University, Hamadan

3 Associate Professor, Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, Tehran,

Abstract

Leibniz’s account of perception for understanding of German rationalistic aesthetic tradition in 18 century is very crucial and important. His account of sense qualities has a Cartesian framework and it is so central to his views on aesthetic experience. He explains the concept of perfection and pleasure based on the clear but confused nature of perception. Accordingly, he defines beauty as follows: perfection is the ability or power to unite multiple properties into one; pleasure is feeling perfection in things. Beauty, for him, is the contemplation or reflection upon the pleasurable, or perfection of things. Having investigated the importance of Leibniz in German aesthetics, we intend to figure out the nature of perfection and its relationship to aesthetic experience, perfection, and beauty in his aesthetics.

Keywords

References

  • Beiser, Frederick C. (2009) Diotima's Children: German Aesthetic Rationalism from Leibniz to Lessing, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Buchenau, Stefanie (2013) The Founding of Aesthetics in the German Enlightenment: The Art of Invention and the Invention of Art, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Cassirer, Ernst (1916) Freiheit und Form, (Berlin: Cassirer).
  • Guyer, Paul (2014) A History of Modern Aesthetics. Volume I: The Eighteenth Century, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Hammermeister, Kai (2002) The German Aesthetic Tradition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Mattick, Paul Jr. (2008) Eighteenth-Century Aesthetics and the Reconstruction of Art, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Wladyslaw (1999) History of Aesthetics, Volume III, Continuum Classical Texts: Thoemmes Press.
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1669) “The Confession of Nature against Atheist,” in Philosophical Papers and Letters (1969) ed. L. Loemker, 2nd edn. (Dordrecht: Reidel).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1770-71) “Elements of Natural Law,” in Philosophical Papers and Letters (1969) trans. and ed. Leroy E. Loemker, 2nd edn, (Dordrecht: D. Reidel).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1675) “Letter to Foucher,” in Philosophical Essays (1989) eds. Roger Ariew and Daniel Garber, (Indianapolis: Hackett).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1776) “Two Notations for Discussion with Spinoza,” in Philosophical Papers and Letters (1969) trans. and ed. Leroy E. Loemker, 2nd edn. (Dordrecht: D. Reidel).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1677) “Letter to Arnold Eckhard,” in Philosophical Papers and Letters (1969) trans. and ed. Leroy E. Loemker, 2nd edn. (Dordrecht: D. Reidel).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1684) “Meditations on Knowledge, Truth, and Ideas,” in Philosophical Essays (1989) Roger Ariew and Daniel Garber. (Indianapolis: Hackett).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1686 a) “Discourse on Metaphysics,” in Philosophical Essays (1989) eds. Roger Ariew and Daniel Garber. (Indianapolis: Hackett).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1686 b) “From the Letter to Arnauld,” in Philosophical Essays (1989) eds. Roger Ariew and Daniel Garber. (Indianapolis: Hackett).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1687) “Two Dialogues on Religion,” in Philosophical Papers and Letters (1969) trans. and ed. Leroy E. Loemker, 2nd edn. (Dordrecht: D. Reidel).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1693) “On Wisdom,” in Philosophical Papers and Letters (1969) trans. and ed. Leroy E. Loemker, 2nd edn. (Dordrecht: D. Reidel).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1702) “To Queen Sophie Shallotte of Prussia: On What Is Independent of Sense and Matter,” in Philosophical Essays (1989) eds. Roger Ariew and Daniel Garber. (Indianapolis: Hackett).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1686 b) “From the Letter to Arnauld,” in Philosophical Essays (1989) eds. Roger Ariew and Daniel Garber. (Indianapolis: Hackett).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1981) New Essays on Human Understanding, trans. P. Remnant and J. Bennett, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1702-3) “Reflection on the Common Concept of Justice,” in Political Writings (1988) ed. Patrick Riley, 2nd edn. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1704 or 5) “From the Letters to Volder,” in Philosophical Essays, (1989) eds. Roger Ariew and Daniel Garber. (Indianapolis: Hackett).
  • Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1711, 1712) “Remarks on the Three Volumes Entitled of Characteristics of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times,” in Philosophical Papers and Letters (1969) trans. and ed. by Leroy E. Loemker, 2nd edn. (Dordrecht: D. Reidel)
Send comment about this article
CAPTCHA Image

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics