A Philosophical Enquiry into the Sublime and Beautiful and Other Pre-Revolutionary Writings
0
0
Author Description
Edited with an introduction and notes by James T. Boulton.'One of the greatest essays ever written on art.'– The GuardianEdmund Burke’s A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful is one of the most important works of aesthetics ever published. Whilst many writers have taken up their pen to write of "the beautiful", Burke’s subject here was the quality he uniquely distinguished as "the sublime"—an all-consuming force beyond beauty that compelled terror as much as rapture in all who beheld it. It was an analysis that would go on to inspire some of the leading thinkers of the age, including Immanuel Kant and Denis Diderot. The Routledge Classics edition presents the authoritative text of the first critical edition of Burke’s essay ever published, including a substantial critical and historical commentary.Edmund Burke (1729–1797). A politician, philosopher and orator, Burke lived during a turbulent time in world history, which saw revolutions in America and France that inspired his most famous work, Reflections on the Revolution in France.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the psychological and physiological origins of human aesthetic responses, specifically distinguishing between the concepts of the beautiful and the sublime. Edmund Burke, an influential 18th-century statesman and philosopher, utilizes an empirical approach to examine how sensory experiences—such as terror, obscurity, and power—trigger the sublime, contrasting these with the social and pleasurable qualities of beauty. By grounding his analysis in human perception rather than abstract metaphysics, Burke provides a framework that shifts the focus of aesthetic inquiry toward the observer's internal state.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A detailed taxonomy of aesthetic experiences categorized by their psychological impact.
- An empirical methodology that links sensory stimuli to emotional responses like fear and delight.
- Historical commentary and critical notes provided by James T. Boulton to contextualize Burke's arguments.
- Analysis of the relationship between the sublime and the human experience of power and vastness.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and philosophers recognize this text as a foundational document in the history of aesthetics that significantly influenced Enlightenment thought. Readers frequently note the density of the prose, which reflects the formal rhetorical style of the 18th century.
Page Count:
198
Publication Date:
2009-01-01
Publisher:
Taylor & Francis Group
ISBN-10:
0203868692
ISBN-13:
9780203868690
Non-Fiction
Philosophy
Art Theory
Aesthetics
Political Philosophy
Community Tags
Similar Books
