AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
The Thomistic Institute
Aquinas, the 'Great Theory of Beauty', and Music | Prof. Michael Dickson
Nov 25, 2024
Professor Michael Dickson, a Philosophy expert from the University of South Carolina, delves into the rich relationship between beauty and music. He critiques modernist architecture's influence on church design, arguing that it undermines traditional beauty. Dickson explores concepts from ancient philosophers like Pythagoras and Aquinas, advocating for a deeper appreciation of musical beauty grounded in clarity and proportion. He also examines the limitations of various musical genres, particularly 80s punk rock, revealing a complex landscape of beauty in today’s music.
44:02
Episode guests
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Professor Michael Dickson critiques the modern rejection of beauty in art and architecture, advocating for a return to classical aesthetic principles like proportion and clarity.
- The relationship between beauty and music is explored through ancient philosophical concepts, emphasizing that good music is inherently beautiful and rooted in traditional definitions of beauty.
Deep dives
The Evolution of Church Architecture
The podcast discusses the shift in church architecture towards modernist principles during the mid-20th century, particularly influenced by the Bauhaus movement. The guiding concept of functionalism became dominant, leading to buildings resembling corporate offices rather than traditional churches. This change often resulted in designs that failed to facilitate liturgical practices, such as inadequate spaces for priests during Mass. The speaker references Father Hans Reinhold's lectures, which emphasize the importance of honesty in construction and how modernist architects’ rejection of beauty contributed to these issues.
Get the Snipd
podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any
moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share
& Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode