Aestheticsisabranchofphilosophythatexploresthenatureofart,beauty,andtaste.Itdoesn’tjustconsidertraditionalartisticexperiencessuchasartworksinamuseumoranoperaperformance,butalsoeverydayexperiencessuchasautumnleavesinthepark,orevenjustthelightofthesettingsunfallingonthekitchentable.Itisalsoaboutyourexperiencewhenyouchoosetheshirtyou’regoingtoweartodayorwhenyouwonderwhetheryoushouldputmorepepperinthesoup.Aestheticsiseverywhere.Itisoneofthemostimportantaspectsofourlife.InthisVeryShortIntroductionBenceNanayintroducesthefieldofaesthetics,consideringbothWesternandnon-Westernaesthetictraditions,andexploringwhyitissometimesmisunderstoodorconsideredtobetooelitist-byartists,musicians,andevenphilosophers.AsNanayshows,so-called’highart’hasnomoreclaimsonaestheticsthansitcoms,tattoos,orpunkrock.Infact,thescopeofaestheticsextendsfarwiderthanthatofart,highorlow,includingmuchofwhatwecareaboutinlife.Itisnotthejobofaestheticstotellyouwhichartworksaregoodandwhichonesarebad.Itisnotthejobofaestheticstotellyouwhatexperiencesareworthhaving.Ifanexperienceisworthhavingforyou,ittherebybecomesthesubjectofaesthetics.Thisrealisationisimportant,becausethinkingaboutaestheticsinthisinclusivewayopensupnewwaysofunderstandingoldquestionsaboutthesocialaspectofouraestheticengagements,andtheimportanceofaestheticvaluesforourownself.ABOUTTHESERIES:TheVeryShortIntroductionsseriesfromOxfordUniversityPresscontainshundredsoftitlesinalmosteverysubjectarea.Thesepocket-sizedbooksaretheperfectwaytogetaheadinanewsubjectquickly.Ourexpertauthorscombinefacts,analysis,perspective,newideas,andenthusiasmtomakeinterestingandchallengingtopicshighlyreadable.
