Review of Philosophers and Aesthetics

Aesthetics: Philosophy of the Arts  discussed the evolution of aesthetics. Aesthetics is the philosophy of beauty of art. Plato had a low opinion on artists and poets. He believed they had no talent and artists made copies of copies. Middle Ages had no aesthetics. Artwork was devoted to God and art by technique. The 18th century England had many thoughts. For example, Francis Hutchinson believed viewers needed to be knowledgeable, Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten coined the word aesthetics, and Immanuel Kant that aesthetics of art was bringing the sensibility and reason together by means of the imagination.
  I believe the 19^th century philosopher Nietzsche’s theory was the most important. He believed art is the yes to life. He uses the Apollonian and Dionysian theory. Apollonian had to deal with the visual, figurative and the imagination. Dionysian was to submit to individualism. They have to coexist for art to exist which I believe is true.
  The 20th century thoughts were, Leo Tolstoy believed art is expression of emotion and Morris Weitz said art form is not static and art is whatever we call art.

CARTA: Neurobiology Neurology and Art and Aesthetics dicussed how the parts of the brain are triggered by looking at a piece of art. Jean-Pierre Changeux believed art is human production specialized for many conscious minds to communicate. He also believed nonverbal communication of emotion, mobilizing conscious and non-conscious processes, and also art is in constant evolution. 

  Vilayanur S. Ramachandran had eight laws of art. They are grouping, peak shift principal ex. caricature, contrast, attention ex. little outline of object but still recognizable, perceptual problem solving ex. prefer woman in shower than a pin-up girl, symmetry, loathing of unique vantage points, and art as metaphor. Rama was always saying our brain has to say "wow".
  Changeux interesting fact was many conscious minds communicating.  A piece of art definitely starts conversations between people. Just look at our discussion boards. Ramachandran thought our of brain saying "wow". If my brain could talk I could see it doing that when you figure something out.

The videos relate to the readings by speaking further about aesthetics of art and what characteristics they use to determine aesthetics. The videos explored more meanings of creativity and what is thought to be art.

I did not enjoy the scientific thought and what part of the brain was triggered when looking at art. I understand that is what is happening when I look at art but I want to keep it an unconscious thought. Also had a hard time understanding Changeaux because of his heavy French accent. I enjoyed Ramachandran more because of his enthusiasm. They were explaining aesthetics a little farther scientifically. Aesthetics: Philosophy of the Arts was  interesting to me. Learning all the theories of philosophers and see the evolution of theory. I do have a difficult time with understanding theory. If the wording was in layman's terms, it wouldn't take me so long to understand. The videos just emphasized for us to look and but principles that we learn into effect when looking at art.