Aesthetic attitude, aesthetic experiences and aesthetic emotions: Analysis from the perspective of Ingarden′s aesthetics

Abstract

The text discusses three basic aesthetic concepts: the concept of aesthetic attitude, aesthetic experience and aesthetic emotions, as well as their mutual relationship. The basis of the analysis is the Maria Reicher?s determination of the structure of the aesthetic experience and Roman Ingarden?s theory of aesthetic experience. The paper shows how dynamically and mutually conditioned two basic elements - representation and feeling - constitute an aesthetic experience. The aesthetic experiences begins with the original emotion. The original emotion reveals the aesthetic qualities of the object, stops everyday life and enables the transition from everyday practical to aesthetic attitude. Aesthetic attitude based on perceived aesthetic qualities leads to the constitution of an aesthetic object. The aesthetic object re-energizes the aesthetic emotions that now complete the process od constituting the aesthetic experience. The emotional evocation of the immediate aesthetic experience is the basis for assessing the aesthetic value of an aesthetic object. The basic thesis of this paper is that least three moments should be distinguished in the aesthetic component of the aesthetic experience. In the first moment, the original emotions stops the practical everyday attitude, establishes the aesthetic attitude and starts the process of creating an aesthetic experiences. In the second moment, aesthetic emotion is an integral part of the aesthetic experiences and is closely connected with aesthetic representation. In the third moment, evocative aesthetic emotion is the basis of value evaluation of an aesthetic object.