Art and Knowledge: Merging Horizons?

Abstract

In the modern mass media realm, dominated by information technology, there is a pluralism of diverse aesthetic theories. Aesthetic science uses non-classical tools and offers theoretical solutions in which art can contribute to the acquisition or expansion of propositional knowledge. Approaching the analysis of this problem, the author preliminarily examines the modern artistic and aesthetic reality. Classical art is currently represented by a rather narrow segment, and one of the most relevant modern areas is the aestheticization of everyday life. Artistic and aesthetic possibilities are used to decorate and refine a variety of public spaces, as well as in the mass market, creating the so-called ‘cultural discourse environment’ (J. Baudrillard). They are markers in the measurement of social success and in the creative construction of identity. Modern information technologies emphasize cognitive approaches in aesthetics, which make the cognitive aspect central to the appreciation and experience of art. The article examines the theories of S.K. Langer and N. Goodman, which are the most representative theories in this field. They are focused on proving that aesthetic experience has not only emotional, but also cognitive content, which is central to its functionality. The arguments used to criticize the cognitive approach are also considered. The analysis makes it possible to conclude that the cognitive approach is limited to the local scope of action, and its idea seems to be quite far from reality. An appeal to the classical heritage of I. Kant also leads to this conclusion. He convincingly showed that there is a certain a priori hidden in the foundation of beauty: in the judgment of taste, the foundation can only be subjective and the specificity of aesthetic experience lies in its emotional aspect.