Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. So the saying goes. What this means is that everyone has their own opinion of what beauty constitutes. This may be influenced by the upbringing, experiences, or even the feelings the particular objects stir’s in us.
Aesthetics is a name coined by Alexander Baumgarten. It is derived from the Greek word aisthanomai which means to perceive through the use of senses. Thus something aesthetic is one that is appealing to our senses. But, not everything is appealing to everybody all at the same time. What some people find appealing, others may not. This is because how appealing something depends on the artistic judgment of the person feeling or seeing it. Therefore the fact that someone likes the outdoors more means they have their own aesthetics. (Miller, 2001)
Beauty and aesthetics are used interchangeably probably because they define qualities of the environment or something physical that are appealing to the mind/senses. But aesthetics relates to philosophy and is concerned with art and the criteria used in judging artistic work. This is where a relationship between aesthetics and beauty is established. As such, aesthetics is a kind of artistic philosophy whose aim is to understand nature as well as the meaning of beauty. The difference is that while beauty is mostly concerned with the physical/superficial, aesthetics goes deeper and analysis such things as experiences. (Ygoy, 2005)
Thus aesthetics can be analyzed from particular perspectives. The first is that art/beauty should be defined by the artist’s intention. That is, what was the artist trying to communicate with a drawing or a painting? (Dewey) Secondly, that art/beauty can be found in the emotional response of the viewer (Tolstoy). Third, that it is the character of the particular item. Danto on his part talks of beauty as being the function of the object’s context.
Thus beauty and by extension aesthetics are heavily influenced by our thoughts and perceptions. The fact is that certain things trigger different feelings in all of us. The aesthetics of something appeal either to our minds or our emotions. (“The philosophy of aesthetics”)
Comparison Of Two Scenarios
A comparison of taking a walk along the beach at sunrise and walking in the botanical gardens in the golden gate park trigger varying impacts on our senses. Walking on the beach has more emotional aesthetics. It is truly breathtaking to look at the horizon and watch the sunrise. It appeals to the emotions more than it appeals to the intellect. For the longest time, the beach has been associated with triggering emotional feelings.
The sea or the ocean is calming and triggers what could only be termed as feelings of nostalgia and romance. One never wants to leave. The ocean is beautiful but it is also regarded as aesthetically appealing because looking at it fosters in us certain intuitions that other forces in life have no time for. For instance, we gain respect for its intrinsic value, water is the source of all life, and watching the ocean early in the morning reminds us just how sometimes we get caught up with our own lives that we fail to notice beauty in its most natural form. It also encourages us to be thankful and look within ourselves (introspection).
This way we cultivate the virtue of patience. Watching the sunrise on the ocean’s horizon triggers feelings of hope, for instance, what the day promises to bring. We are able to understand that the best things in life are not only free but also that they are not rushed. On the other hand, walking in the botanical garden is more intellectually appealing. The argument is that the garden provides a peaceful and quiet place conducive to engage in mental activities. Painting, book reading, discussions, and drawing are all activities that one may opt to engage in during a walk through the garden. It can be argued that the greenness of the plants and the freshness of the air trigger our creative faculties.
Though, both activities can easily stimulate our senses because they are both considered to be physically/sensually attractive. Natural or manmade, we cannot help but be awed by how truly magnificent they are. They both awaken the appreciative desire within us which is probably the reason why we keep visiting and taking in their beauty. The ocean is usually calm in the morning owing to low tide and it stretches for miles on end.
The color of the ocean deeply contrasts with that of the sunrise, a deep brown. This coupled with the feeling of the sand on one’s feet is what awakens our senses. Truly there is no other experience that is comparable to this and this is what keeps us coming back. Man-made lakes, the botanical garden, and other features of the parks also stir up our appreciative desires. It is truly amazing just how superb the human mind is.
That we can create lakes where there hitherto weren’t is truly genius. So is the fact that we can almost duplicate nature and recreate something that was destroyed. Thus the aesthetic quality of the mind and of the physical. We can touch and even feel which adds to our experiences.
Immersing ourselves in the beauty of manmade/constructed landscapes triggers our senses probably because their existence is similar to the good and the truth they once symbolized. Constructed landscapes draw their inspiration from natural landscapes. Botanical gardens and the man-made lakes in the park are reminiscent of what San Francisco probably looked like before urbanization. A time where there were trees all over and everything was unspoiled. Probably this is the same reason the old generation love to visit the parks so that they can reminisce. Constructed landscapes are similar to the good and true once symbolized by natural landscapes.
Conclusion
Thus the above discussion can be summed up by advocating that individuals appreciate the aesthetics of things depending on the emotions they evoke in them and also based on their perceptions. This explains the phenomenon of why natural and man-made landscapes appear so similar yet very different at the same time.
References
Miller Ellen. ‘Aesthetic introduction’. Rowan University. 2001.
‘The philosophy of aesthetics’. PhilosophyArchive.com. 2008. Web.
‘What is the difference between beauty and aesthetics’. Ygoy. 2005. Web.