The Æsthetic Attitude

In maintaining the view that aesthetics should be pragmatic, that is, useful to all those who desire a deeper knowledge of beauty, I hold a position opposed to that of certain philosophers who think that aesthetics should remain entirely theoretical. Such writers generally believe that the chief characteristic of beauty is its uselessness. I have tried to show, on the contrary, that the perception of beauty is one of the most useful of man's experiences. In order to establish the book on an empirical basis I have attempted a description of the mental processes involved in appreciation, and this psychological treatment of aesthetics predominates, although some attention has been given to the analysis of certain art forms.