Aesthetic Values and Objects Essay

1.When looking at the differences between cultural, natural, and truly aesthetic objects, it’s relatively easy to define each in their own ways. Cultural objects differ from natural objects in the sense that cultural objects have been placed in an artistic manner by, and for the human population, whereas natural objects are in the most basic term, objects placed by nature for no other external reason. For instance, a bed of rocks laying among a path, strewn out for an artistic affect is considered a cultural object, where bedrock randomly strewn across a certain area, without being altered by a person or persons, is considered a natural object. In other words, a tree, planted and grown naturally is considered a natural aesthetic object. A table, in its own right, will be a cultural object, as it is used for mankind’s benefit, and also used for artistic effect is considered cultural; whereas a wooden sculpture will be considered aesthetic in its nature as a purely artist ic object. What all these objects have in common is the fact that all consists out of wood, and that all can be considered as either natural, cultural, or truly aesthetic objects. 2.Aesthetics is not easily definable when looking at the different values that can be used to describe the object in question. There are two different forms of aesthetic value namely Inherent and Consequential value. If an object has value in, and for itself, it is considered as Inherent value. Pleasure, for instance, has inherent value because please is sought in and for itself. If an object has value because of its consequences, it has consequential value. This involves anything from an action or a still-standing object meant for something. Friendship, for instance, is consequential because we value it because it a means of pleasure, and not necessarily pleasure itself. A popular saying goes: â€Å"to each his own,† and that is exactly the problem it comes down to when attempting to define the aesthetic. As explained in study guide, whatever reason I would consider something to be interesting and beautiful could be used by someone else to define the exact opposite. For instance, I would say that a movie’s vehicle chase scenes were the scenes that made the movie as incredible as it is, but then a friend of mine would mention that it was those exact scenes that made the movie too boring to bare. By merely saying â€Å"beauty is in the eye of the beholder† one has to ask â€Å"what is the definition of beauty†, and it is there where everyone else seem to have different opinions. Marcia Eaton manages to explain this point by giving the following examples: â€Å"What a movie – one car chase after another!† â€Å"I know, I was bored to death.† and â€Å"The lyrics were so romantic!† â€Å"Yes, that’s exactly why they were so sentimental.† We all have different opinions, based somewhat on the different kinds of cultural backgrounds we have, and how we were raised. This is another factor that has to be considered when we are trying to understand one-another’s aesthetic value towards certain objects. 3.Certain conditions have to be met when applying aesthetic value to certain objects. First, one has to consider if the object truly is cultural, or natural. After that has been considered, you have to think of the reason why the object in question appeals to you the way it does. The problem of defining the aesthetic is what concerns us here. Like all definitions this problem is bound with the criteria for the application of defenitions. This means specifying the conditions for when it is justified to apply the concept of â€Å"aesthetic† to any particular object. – [THL801-U/1/2008-2010] A necessary condition is a condition that must be met for the concept to be applied. For example, a necessary condition for something to be a horse is that it is an animal. A sufficient condition is a condition which, if met, alone suffices for the concept to be applied. For example, a sufficient condition for something to be an animal is that it is an animal. Some conditions can either be necessary and sufficient, or sufficient but not necessary, or even necessary but not sufficient. In other words, the definition of a concept is to give its meaning, and to give its meaning tells us what condition the object must meet for the concept to apply to it.