Exploring the connection between music and emotions, this book critically examines major theories regarding how music derives its artistic value from emotional expression. It delves into the intricate relationship between musical art and emotional experience, providing insights into how these elements interact and influence one another.
The book features a curated collection of essays by Malcolm Budd exploring fundamental questions in aesthetics, including the essence of aesthetic experience, the legitimacy of aesthetic judgments, and the interplay of pleasure and value in art. Additionally, it delves into specific art forms, particularly music and visual representation, offering insights into their unique aesthetic considerations and contributions to the broader discourse on art.
Exploring the philosophical reflection on nature's aesthetics, the book delves into how appreciation of natural beauty transcends mere enjoyment. It examines the deeper implications of experiencing the beauty of flowers, mountains, and the night sky, highlighting the significance of serious aesthetic engagement with the natural world. Through this lens, it challenges readers to consider the complexities and richness of their encounters with nature's beauty, positioning it as an essential aspect of aesthetic philosophy.
Malcolm Budd tackles a relatively little-explored area of Wittgenstein's thought, which played an important part in his later writings, from "Philosophical Investigations" onwards. He gives an account of Wittgenstein's conception of the philosophy of psychology, and explains the way in which Wittgenstein thought that excesses of dualism and behaviourism could be avoided without recourse to any currently fashionable form of materialism. He describes Wittgenstein's investigation of a number of central topics, such as the nature of rule-following, "private language" and the language of sensations, the exercise of the imagination in visualization and the nature of the emotions.