Brady DeHoust -- Concluding Reflections (Much-Anticipated Sequel to "A Modest but Sincere Query")

To close out this semester’s blog, I thought I might end with some final reflections on the class.

I have found this seminar to be profoundly interesting on a number of levels. The readings have been thought-provoking, the film bits shown in class have been interesting and novel, and the discussions in class, though fewer than I had hoped, were generally engaging. Particularly viewing the film of far-east religious rituals, as well as the clip from Apocalypse Now, inspired curiosity and intrigue as well as good conversation, and I felt they expanded my aesthetic horizons. Our talks about aesthetic tourism vs. aesthetic sojourning resonated with me.

Several of the student presentations were quite informative and thought-provoking as well. In particular I enjoyed hearing the array of music on display, from doom metal to hymns. The presentation about the local artists was also particularly engaging; I really enjoyed applying some course themes to artworks that are less famous, closer to home. In general I found the presentations to be quite thought-provoking.

Thought-provoking. That may be the single best descriptor I can come up with for this class. Unlike many other classes, I do not feel as if I am leaving this one with a wealth of knowledge about art, aesthetics, or the philosophy of art; I am not laden with terminology nor much conceptual knowledge, per se. However, I do feel that my intellectual horizons have been broadened. I feel that I’ve been introduced to a new style of philosophy, phenomenology, a style concerned more with authenticity than with analytics and systematization. Granted, I still want to approach aesthetics from an analytical standpoint; still want clear answers and classifications, at least theoretically. But this class has stretched me, invited me to look at things a bit more...fluidly, perhaps, is the best word I can think of. Striving to get a sense of the reality of the thing more through looking at it from different angles and talking about it, by “getting to know it,” sort of, by “hanging out with it” more so than precisely studying it. That is the sense I get at least. At any rate, I leave this class more curious than I went in, and that may be the greatest victory in and of itself.

To conclude, here are the answers, best I can figure, to a few questions I asked in my first post:

“Our conversation thus far has been extremely centered on religion in regards to beauty, art, and ritual. Why?” -- Philosophically speaking, because beauty as such would appear to be an inherently religious concept. It is not scientific; not quantifiable, experimental, rational, etc. and thus it is religious. Art goes with beauty, and ritual with religion. They are all intertwined.

“Why are we studying beauty and art at all? For its own sake?” -- We are studying art because it is so intimately related to beauty, which is a fundamental human good and worthy of pursuit for its own sake. Art is like a gateway to the beautiful, an extremely powerful medium, so powerful as to warrant the oft-applied term of “magical.” That is my understanding, at least.

“I understand presupposing the value of the beautiful, but so far we seem to be engaging it based on a relatively narrow framework in a linear constructions (at least that seems to be what Van der Leeuw suggests). Will there be efforts to view beauty and art more holistically? Is this viewing it holistically, and I simply don't see it yet?” -- To me it would seem that the class failed to look at beauty and art holistically per se, but introduced and make the introductory steps into an interesting method of doing so: phenomenology, that is, “getting to know” art and beauty by spending time with it, conversing with and about it, and so on.

“Are we exploring art and beauty holistically or are you instructing me in the origins and nature of art and beauty as a sacred/religious phenomenon?” -- Both. And more.

“But there is one significant question which I feel compelled to ask: to what end?” -- First and foremost to value beauty and art, to glimpse its significance and import. Secondly to initiate a manner of pursuing its understanding.

So much for my concluding thoughts on the class. An intriguing experience to say the least. I leave more curious than when I arrived.