Understanding the World and Ourselves in a Different Way: A study of Aesthetic Experience

Abstract

The thesis issues the question of meaning in experience with art and aesthetics. Throughout the thesis I investigate whether or not we can acquire knowledge or/and experience something true in aesthetic experience. According to Kant it is not possible to gain knowledge through these kinds of experience. It follows from his system of philosophy that ties all knowledge to concepts. Aesthetics judgements are not to be subsumed within definite concepts and Kant therefore concludes that to gain knowledge from aesthetic experience is impossible. I will, with the help of Kant, explain how understanding and imagination functions in order to make judgments. In ordinary perception their activity decide on the nature of things according to definite concepts, but these concepts do not cover the meaning of an artwork or the meaning of the beautiful in nature. I will therefore take a closer look at what aesthetic judgments are founded upon and contrast Kant's claim against the theories of Heidegger, Gadamer and Dufrenne. Each of them offers a distinct perspective on art and aesthetics that shows that, contrary to Kant’s claim, we can gain knowledge of a particular kind in aesthetic experience. According to Heidegger, we can even experience something true in aesthetic experience.