Roger Scruton's Short Introduction to Aesthetics

The podcast episode discusses Roger Scruton's book 'Beauty: A Very Short Introduction,' which aims to explore the concept of beauty. The hosts find the book challenging to comprehend, as Scruton's writing style is dense and filled with abstract references. They criticize the lack of a clear thesis or argument, making it difficult to discern his views on beauty. However, they note that Scruton argues that beauty is anchored in reason and that art must have meaning. They also discuss his disdain for kitsch and his negative views on the impact of photography on art. Overall, the hosts find the book frustrating and inaccessible, struggling to extract meaningful insights from its contents.