beauty changes everything
I started Aesthetics Research Lab (ARL) in 2016 because I sensed that there were people around the world, in unexpected professions and disciplines, who had an affinity toward aesthetics, even if they didn't know the jargon or theories. I also never understood why my discipline (philosophy) focuses conversations about aesthetics so much on art alone. … Continue reading 7 Year Summary
People prefer what is familiar to them. Scholars call this the "mere exposure effect." Philosopher Bence Nanay explains: "The more you are exposed to something, the more you tend to like it. Just the mere exposure to something changes your preferences. And this happens even if you are not aware of what you are exposed … Continue reading Seeking the Familiar with a Twist
Quality can be an ambiguous word when people approach from different perspectives. What makes a quality car? It could be how long it will last; how fast it will go; how much it can haul. What makes a quality movie? Answering this question might require us to differentiate between genres, such as horror, comedy, action, … Continue reading Quality Improvement for Healthcare
Described by many as larger than life, Lance Hosey pushed for higher levels of excellence and beauty by architects and designers. He passed away in 2021, but he left a legacy of advocating for the use of aesthetics in green (or sustainable) design. Within his context of design, he held to a core idea that … Continue reading The Beauty of Green Design
The BOLTGROUP, located in Charlotte, NC, offers some insight into when in the design process should people consider aesthetics. The short answer is right away. On their website, they offer a slew of insightful articles about design practice and other ideas. One short essay, called "When to Address Aesthetics in Your NPD Process," stood out. … Continue reading Aesthetics and New Product Design
The idea of curation has long been connected with the art world. We may picture someone making decisions about which art to hang in a gallery, which works fit in with a particular theme, or which artists to endorse or ignore. Curators could provide the breakthrough an artist needed to launch their career, or they … Continue reading Curating Your Brand’s Aesthetic
How aesthetics impacts our decision-making is often ignored or overlooked. Some researchers, for example, have claimed that our feelings (i.e., aesthetic responses) account for 85 percent of our decision-making for retail purchases. Another example from clothing helps to illustrate this point further. In Everyday Aesthetics, Yuriko Saito describes how natural fibers, such as wool and … Continue reading Ugliness and Climate Solutions
I was forwarded an interview with a poker player named Maria Konnikova. Most of the interview involved her approach to poker, but the interviewer (Kevin Berger) led her into a discussion of the skill-versus-chance debate. While many top players insist that poker is a game of skill, Konnikova agrees but adds that there is always … Continue reading The Beauty of Chance
Engineering, we might think, is simply the application of math and science to solve practical problems. However, there exists an intimate connection with aesthetics. Rolf Faste—in his article "The Role of Aesthetics in Engineering"—mentions that the word 'aesthetics' has its origins in ancient Greek with the idea of sense perception. To understand the importance, he … Continue reading Engineering Aesthetics: Beautifying Practical Solutions
Whether prison is supposed to punish people or reform them is an endless and tiring discussion. But either way, it seems that once people have "paid their debt," we have to at least allow them the chance to become decent members of society again. There's a strong stereotype that someone is made even worse by … Continue reading The Aesthetics of a Prison