Llenos, Theresiana I. 3 PHL Music, Arts, and Genius: An Exposition of Schopenhauer’s Concept of Aesthetics INTRODUCTION: In a world where suffering is part of our everyday lives, Schopenhauer produces an answer on why people, like us, tend to suffer. According to Schopenhauer, we suffer everyday because our mind represents the world as thinking of oneself only (egocentric) and disregards of what others may feel or have felt. It composes of the external objects and its relation or benefit towards the being (benefactor) and disregarding if others would not benefit as long as he gets the object of his desire. For Schopenhauer, our consciousness is in the service of our will. It is common in the philosophy world that for us to know our very being, essence, and meaning we have to look inside our very own self and in successfully doing that, we also figure out the essence or meaning of the universe for we are as one with it. Everything that is within the universe is all connected for we are like river; we flow in the same direction which connects everything in it and with one mean or end. But for Schopenhauer, there is only one relative object that is present in each and every one of us – our physical body. But Schopenhauer classified our physical body in two categories; one is the Will, it is subjective and within, and the other one is the representation, objective and outside or external. Our will is the one who is responsible for our surviving skills. It functions as the
The ideology behind Dillard’s concept of “beautiful suffering” is that God is like an artist who allows suffering (or burning) upon his creations. According to Dillard, God allows this suffering as a part of his mysterious art form; in order for physical and/or mental evolvement. Thus, the creation results in a unique beauty in preparation for placement
The author argues a hedonistic claim that, to deny joy is to deny one’s purpose in life which is the pursuit of happiness and pleasure. Making it the only true blasphemy and conveying that the experience of pleasure is essential to a fulfilling life. Language quote: “Art lies in the moment of encounter.” Analysis: The author uses the metaphor, “Art lies” to convey the somewhat elusive nature of artistic expression.
For example, Milkman, the main character of the novel possesses a great desire to make a living for himself, discover treasure, and get girls, but his will leads to a great tragedy between him and his girlfriend Hagar, as “He lay there as still as the morning light, and sucked the world's energy up into his own will. And willed her dead. Either she will kill me or she will drop dead” (Morrison 129). Just as Milkman once willed to be with Hagar, his conscience backfires and produces great conflict as Hagar tries to kill him with a knife. Just like someone may create a “will” to pass on their financial assets after their death, Hagar is merely a “will” to Milkman, a temporary asset that he finds no long-term investment in.
Ordinary people in the world are thought to create their own suffering in the Buddhist and Taoist teachings. In their teachings they think the ordinary person, because of their wanting desires of things, creates their own disappointments because they can’t get what their mind wants. Especially in today’s world where everyone sees the best stuff that money can buy in commercials, movies, and online. Seeing these things makes people want them and although some people might have them, most people can’t get them and are left unhappy with maybe a worse version or older technology that isn’t as good in their eyes because the other version is better. And even the people that have whatever everyone wants will still suffer because they might have to
Many people praise and mourn about different things, mostly stuff they like very dearly. Except that mourning is being sad over something they lost that meant alot to one. In the poem “One Art” Elizabeth Bishop evokes praise, mockery and mourning, by using language that shows a carefree tone and a passionate mood. She also fulfills her purpose by utalyzing repetition in her structure.
It is a convenient and comforting respond to unfortunate and even devastating ‘fate’. The pain becomes bearable to those who suffer because it is all part of a bigger plan, it is more than ‘you’. This concept is also built upon an irrational fundamental attitude, “the surrender of self to the ordering power of society.” (54) The problem of theodicy does not end at that.
Nevertheless, it can be concluded that his claim on animals living better lives than human beings is to some considerable extent true. The view of aestheticism for battling suffering is, however, not factual. Schopenhauer failed to acknowledge the great significance that people’s will portrays i.e. their existence. The idea of weakening the desires of the will do not necessarily eliminate the suffering that people witness in their daily lives. In general, despite the suffering that surrounds people, life is believably good.
Arthur Schopenhauer, a German Philosopher, argues that reading “robs the mind of all elasticity” (Line 20). Schopenhauer does this by claiming that reading “forces thoughts upon the mind” (Line 5-6) creating a point in which the mind cannot return to where it was before reading. More importantly, this leads to Schopenhauer’s belief that in order to achieve efficient learning, one must think for oneself before proceeding to reading. Furthermore, Schopenhauer claims thinking for oneself will allow you to achieve learning more intimately and purposefully. Schopenhauer’s claim reveals a clear possibility that reading is a hindrance of one’s learning, not an augment.
An initial reaction to this artwork is a feeling of mourn with an explosion of emotions. At first, the artwork serves as a symbol of sorrow, despair, and melancholy. The title of the work adds a dry, bland sense to the meaning behind the drawing. Through observing the drawing more strenuously, the work becomes more of a symbol of war and a cry for help. The despair and troublesome times that the working class went through during war is characterized in this artwork.
It is important for the body to feel pain because nerve cells let out pain signals to indicate something is wrong. It is also important for the body to feel emotions so the person can feel the tendencies to run for their life or a sense of importance. As a result, these physical qualities of the body can allow unhappiness when one feels too much pain that is unbearable, or when one cannot sleep because they are too stressed. The second way the body brings unhappiness is through the sense of beauty, where “beauty presents itself to [people’s] sense and [peoples] judgment” (Freud 53). People’s sense of beauty to themselves or others is perceived through their own
One can’t be happy or attempt to be happy if that person is suffering depression; therefore, expressing agony is a starting point in achieving happiness. As Weiner also says, “A love of language may not guarantee happiness, but it allows you to express your despair eloquently, and that is worth something. As any poet (or blogger) knows, misery expressed is misery reduced” (Weiner 158). During his travel, Weiner discovers that in any language, there are more words describing sadness than words describing happiness. People tend to express their grief more strongly than their happiness.
Many people dispute that this theory is wrong because it promotes the idea that pleasure is the most important thing. It declares that pleasures are ultimately good and pain is ultimately wrong. But there are things we value more than pleasures, things like artistic creativity and friendship. If we lose these things than we will feel a sense of misfortune even if we don’t loss any of our own happiness. Furthermore, it proclaims that the
Civilisation is a developed society where humans coexist and collaborate to further enhance their quality of life. ‘Requiem: Dedication’ shows the suffering of people living in a developed country, and how individuals are still able to continue after tragedies. ‘Africa’ shows the pain endured by a continent’s people in their first encounters with outsiders, and the hypocrisy of the ones inflicting the torture on the ‘barbarians’. I will argue that though the two poems are written by two different people in different times and languages, they still write about the same emotions, showing that those feelings are universally experienced ‘Requiem; Dedication’ shows how much suffering people are willing to endure for love. Akhmatova sets the scene with “does not flow” and “stay frozen”, creating an image
Viewing “Perhaps the World Ends Here” from a psychological perspective gave me insight in to why Harjo would deliver a poem with such an inspiring moral. Harjo’s life defines the word “effort” and “Perhaps the World Ends Here” is a summarization of her life. Knowing how she achieved her many accomplishments regardless of the mental pressure she must have received due to her social status allows me to have deeper recognition for Harjo and her work. Her work emphasizes
The philosopher talks about how we look at the dead body or someone we love. Like they aren 't supposed to be a part of this world, the same goes with beauty, beauty is a visitor from another world. The world of higher spiritual being. It is not to be used or exploited but to be observed and contemplated. Art shouldn’t be be used to satisfy our appetites.