Kant on the beautiful and taste: Critique of Judgment
... See moreTaste is an abstract, ineffable, unstable thing. A listener to music or reader cannot truly tell if they will enjoy something before they experience it; pleasure in a piece of art is never guaranteed. So when encountering an artwork, we immediately evaluate it by some set of mental principles, and, hopefully, find the beauty in it, feel affirmed, e
So, in shameless imitation of a master and tastemaker, here are my notes on “taste.”
- To start very generally, taste is a mode. It’s a manner of interpretation, expression, or action. Things don’t feel tasteful, they demonstrate taste. Someone’s home can be decorated tastefully. Someone can dress tastefully. The vibe cannot be tasteful. The experien