Historical Dictionary of Aesthetics

Download or read book Historical Dictionary of Aesthetics written by Dabney Townsend and published by Scarecrow Press. This book was released on 2006-09-05 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aesthetics is not a 'factual' discipline; there are no aesthetic facts. The word itself is derived from the Greek word for 'feeling' and the discipline arises because of the need to find a place for the passions within epistemology_the branch of philosophy that investigates our beliefs. Aesthetics is more than just the study of beauty; it is a study of that which appeals to our senses, most often in connection with the classification, analysis, appreciation, and understanding of art. The Historical Dictionary of Aesthetics covers its history from Classical Greece to the present, including entries on non-western aesthetics. The book contains a chronology, a list of acronyms and abbreviations, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on the main concepts, terminology, important persons (philosophers, critics, and artists), and the rules and criteria we apply in making judgments on art. By providing concise information on aesthetics, this dictionary is not only accessible to students, but it provides details and facts to specialists in the field.