by Kurt Knecht | Feb 8, 2012 | aesthetics, kurt knecht, Shaftesbury, Uncategorized
Any time you start talking about a philosophy of beauty, it is important to ask the right questions. The 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury can bring it with some eloquent prose stylings. In a lovely little essay called “The Moralists”, he sets up a dialogue between Philocles...
by Kurt Knecht | Feb 7, 2012 | aesthetics, Anthony Ashley Cooper, kurt knecht, Uncategorized
Anthony Ashley Cooper, the 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury, is not to be confused with Anthony Ashley Cooper, the 1st Earl of Shaftesbury. He should also not be confused with Anthony Ashley Cooper the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th Earls of Shaftesbury. The...
by Kurt Knecht | Dec 30, 2011 | aesthetics, education, kurt knecht, St. Austine, Uncategorized
In De Musica, St. Augustine continues to refine his artistic theory in the tradition of Greek thought. Musical rhythm is related to the rhythm of the universe is related to the rhythm of the body is related to the rhythm of vegetables grown ad infinitum. The passages...
by Kurt Knecht | Dec 20, 2011 | aesthetics, kurt knecht, St. Augustine, Uncategorized
In De Ordine, St. Augustine seems to be under the full sway of Plotinus when it comes to the idea of artistic creation. He argues that you can get your soul “out of tune” by immoral actions.“For to the soul that diligently considers the nature and the power of...
by Kurt Knecht | Oct 11, 2011 | aesthetics, art, coffee, St. Augustine, Uncategorized
St. Augustine’s views of art will take some time to tackle. He was certainly one of the most powerful and influential minds for the shaping of Western thought. In general, he tends to borrow much of his language and starting points from the neo-Platonists and Plotinus...
by Kurt Knecht | Aug 23, 2011 | aesthetics, Plato, the N.W.A., Uncategorized
In book 10 of the Republic, Plato goes on one of his more extended rants against artists. His final target appears to be Homer. His first issue is that artists are always three steps from the truth. They make copies of copies. So, a painter paints a chair, but he...
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