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Seerveld's Aesthetic Life

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Imagine the following situation, one that most people, if not everyone, has personally experienced. An adult encounters a young child playing and upon seeing the adult, the child urges the adult to play with them. The child may explain what game they are playing or what “make-believe” situation the adult is to be part of. The adult may “play” with the child, but the adult’s heart is not truly in it or they may not follow the “imaginary” boundaries set forth by the child. In this case, the child (and children in general) is quick to point out the adult is acting like a spoilsport. A spoilsport rejects to fully enter the play-world by either not taking the activity seriously or by breaking the boundaries. Play is often seen as an activity for …show more content…

When one fails to partake in an ordinary aesthetic life they are failing to fulfill the allusive role given to humanity. Seerveld defines allusive as “just playing around with, imaginative, nuanceful.” The aesthetic life gives an opportunity for one to spice up life; to experience life in all dimensions. Life without aesthetics would be dull and unmoving. As creatures of God, it is important for everyone to be playful, not just professional athletes in sport or children frolicking around. Also, imagination is not just for artists, but for all. Seerveld is driving home the point that being human (being made in God’s image) means that one should relish the role of having aesthetic opportunities in life. Recently, works of Calvin Seerveld were collected to create the book, Normative Aesthetics. In a section titled “Ordinary Aesthetic Life: Humor, Tastes and ‘Taking a Break,’” Seerveld brings the tin-can model to readers. The tin-can model is all the essential components of creature-hood for the Christian, which includes the physical, biotic, sensitive, technical, aesthetic, lingual, analytic,

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