beauty changes everything
Alva Noë’s book, The Entanglement: How Art and Philosophy Make Us What We Are, has garnered attention in both philosophical and art-critical circles. But rather than offer a review or summary here, I want to focus on a single idea that stood out—one that, I believe, reveals something vital about the power of aesthetics today. … Continue reading Reorienting Through Aesthetics
Guest post by Margaret Ferguson, founder of Beyond The Chair: Earlier this year, Aesthetics Research Lab launched their project, The History of Aesthetics, to sharpen our understanding of the practice and application of aesthetics in our everyday lives. Explaining the history of aesthetics is deeply important to understanding the philosophical concepts that drive our aesthetic … Continue reading Gustatory Influences: Food Scarcity, Changing Fashions, and Aesthetics
The title of this essay is admittedly a mouthful. It's because I want to introduce a technical term in philosophy that goes back to the medieval theologian and philosopher, Thomas Aquinas. It is useful in understanding the beauty of performance, in both artistic and non-artistic contexts. When someone is well-trained on an instrument or tool, … Continue reading Performative Beauty and Knowledge by Connaturality
As the founder of Artful Banyan Tree, Bella Zhang stands as a pioneering force in the convergence of art and well-being promotion. With degrees in Psychology from the University of Edinburgh and Business Psychology from Hochschule für Medien, Kommunikation und Wirtschaft, Bella combines academic excellence with creative innovation. Bella, a certified Expressive Arts Facilitator, employs … Continue reading Bringing Beauty to Business: An Interview with Bella Zhang
I connected recently with Margaret Ferguson on Twitter, and what caught my eye was her mentioning her interest in applied aesthetics. Beginning her career as a cosmetologist, she turned to philosophical aesthetics, and this is her story. Guest post by Margaret Ferguson: When I was in middle school in 2002, I moved to Henderson, … Continue reading From Cosmetology to Philosophy
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
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
An aesthetic impact is powerful. From advertising influencing our decisions to political leaders instigating action, aesthetic motivations form a core compulsion of our lives, including for ethical or global issues. People often want to believe that they act only with good reason, since our emotions are frivolous. In "Taste, Foodways, and Everyday Life," Tim Waterman … Continue reading Positive and Negative Aesthetics
Our personal taste—for example in art, fashion, or music—does not develop by accident; it is not passive. People choose what they view, wear, and follow. But companies and organizations know how to exploit our natural desires for beauty and aesthetics. Before the Internet became a household necessity, people often trusted a friend or family member … Continue reading TikTok Aesthetics
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