Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art lectures
3. Hume and the Standard of Taste
Mar 15, 2011
James Grant, lecturer in philosophy, University of Oxford, discusses Hume's perspective on beauty, the sentiment it evokes, and the standard of taste. They explore the nature of beauty, arguing that it lies in the sentiment of the observer. The podcast also delves into Hume's argument on beauty's universality, the role of practice and comparison in evaluating beauty, and the criteria for identifying true critics of art.
55:58
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Quick takeaways
- Beauty lies in the sentiment of the observer, not in the properties of the object.
- The standard of taste can reconcile various sentiments about beauty, but may not settle disputes involving different temperaments or cultural backgrounds of critics.
Deep dives
Hume's views on the nature of beauty
Hume argues that beauty is not a quality objects have in themselves, but rather lies in the sentiment of the observer. He provides examples, such as the circle and architectural compositions, to support his claim that beauty does not consist in the properties of the object but in the sentiment it evokes.
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