, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE ONLY
1. In her book, Basic Issues in Aesthetics (1998), cited in the Study Guide, Marcia Eaton
discusses the difficulties with defining the terms “beauty” and “aesthetics.” Referring to this
excerpt, in an essay, argue that it is possible for these terms to be used objectively despite
arguments to the contrary. In other words, argue that it possible to define what “beauty” and
“aesthetics” are. You may refer to the examples Eaton uses but can also provide your own.
Include your references to the Study Guide both in-text and in a bibliography.
Introduction
Marcia Eaton's Basic Issues in Aesthetics, as presented in the THL801U study guide, raises profound
questions about whether terms such as "beauty" and "aesthetics" can be objectively defined. Eaton
highlights the enduring philosophical challenge that has confounded thinkers since Socrates: people
confidently declare something beautiful yet struggle to justify their judgment, and the same features
that one person cites as evidence of beauty may be used by another as evidence of ugliness (Eaton in
THL801U Study Guide 2011:49-50). Despite these legitimate difficulties, I will argue that it is
indeed possible to define beauty and aesthetics objectively by examining the necessary conditions
that underlie aesthetic judgment, distinguishing between subjective preference and objective
evaluation, and recognizing that disagreement does not preclude objectivity.
The Problem of Subjectivity in Aesthetic Judgment
Eaton's discussion reveals that the central obstacle to defining beauty and aesthetics is the apparent
subjectivity of aesthetic judgment. She notes that when Socrates was asked "Come now, can you tell
me what beauty is?" the question remained unresolved because "people simply do not agree about
what 'beauty' means" (Eaton in THL801U Study Guide 2011:49). This lack of agreement has led to
the popular saying "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," suggesting that aesthetic judgments are
purely matters of individual taste. Furthermore, Eaton's example of Carl Andre's Stone Field
demonstrates how contemporary art complicates matters further: some viewers refused to accept the
arrangement of boulders as art, citing reasons such as "little kids could do it," while others defended
it as a legitimate artistic work (THL801U Study Guide 2011:51-52). These examples seem to support
the view that aesthetic terms cannot be objectively defined.
The Possibility of Objective Definition
However, the fact of disagreement does not preclude objectivity. In other areas of knowledge, such
as science or history, disagreements are common yet we do not abandon the pursuit of objective truth.
The THL801U study guide itself provides a framework for understanding how objective definitions
can be developed through the concept of necessary and sufficient conditions (THL801U Study Guide
2011:53). A definition of beauty or aesthetics can specify conditions that must be met for the concept
to apply, even if application sometimes involves judgment.
One powerful argument for objectivity comes from the institutional and contextual approach
developed in the study guide. As discussed in study unit 7, aesthetic objects are defined not merely
by individual perception but by their relation to aesthetic institutions, conventions, and traditions.
The sender's intention to produce an aesthetic object, formed within the context of established norms
and practices, provides a necessary condition for aesthetic status (THL801U Study Guide 2011:99).
This is not merely subjective—it involves publicly accessible criteria.
1. In her book, Basic Issues in Aesthetics (1998), cited in the Study Guide, Marcia Eaton
discusses the difficulties with defining the terms “beauty” and “aesthetics.” Referring to this
excerpt, in an essay, argue that it is possible for these terms to be used objectively despite
arguments to the contrary. In other words, argue that it possible to define what “beauty” and
“aesthetics” are. You may refer to the examples Eaton uses but can also provide your own.
Include your references to the Study Guide both in-text and in a bibliography.
Introduction
Marcia Eaton's Basic Issues in Aesthetics, as presented in the THL801U study guide, raises profound
questions about whether terms such as "beauty" and "aesthetics" can be objectively defined. Eaton
highlights the enduring philosophical challenge that has confounded thinkers since Socrates: people
confidently declare something beautiful yet struggle to justify their judgment, and the same features
that one person cites as evidence of beauty may be used by another as evidence of ugliness (Eaton in
THL801U Study Guide 2011:49-50). Despite these legitimate difficulties, I will argue that it is
indeed possible to define beauty and aesthetics objectively by examining the necessary conditions
that underlie aesthetic judgment, distinguishing between subjective preference and objective
evaluation, and recognizing that disagreement does not preclude objectivity.
The Problem of Subjectivity in Aesthetic Judgment
Eaton's discussion reveals that the central obstacle to defining beauty and aesthetics is the apparent
subjectivity of aesthetic judgment. She notes that when Socrates was asked "Come now, can you tell
me what beauty is?" the question remained unresolved because "people simply do not agree about
what 'beauty' means" (Eaton in THL801U Study Guide 2011:49). This lack of agreement has led to
the popular saying "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," suggesting that aesthetic judgments are
purely matters of individual taste. Furthermore, Eaton's example of Carl Andre's Stone Field
demonstrates how contemporary art complicates matters further: some viewers refused to accept the
arrangement of boulders as art, citing reasons such as "little kids could do it," while others defended
it as a legitimate artistic work (THL801U Study Guide 2011:51-52). These examples seem to support
the view that aesthetic terms cannot be objectively defined.
The Possibility of Objective Definition
However, the fact of disagreement does not preclude objectivity. In other areas of knowledge, such
as science or history, disagreements are common yet we do not abandon the pursuit of objective truth.
The THL801U study guide itself provides a framework for understanding how objective definitions
can be developed through the concept of necessary and sufficient conditions (THL801U Study Guide
2011:53). A definition of beauty or aesthetics can specify conditions that must be met for the concept
to apply, even if application sometimes involves judgment.
One powerful argument for objectivity comes from the institutional and contextual approach
developed in the study guide. As discussed in study unit 7, aesthetic objects are defined not merely
by individual perception but by their relation to aesthetic institutions, conventions, and traditions.
The sender's intention to produce an aesthetic object, formed within the context of established norms
and practices, provides a necessary condition for aesthetic status (THL801U Study Guide 2011:99).
This is not merely subjective—it involves publicly accessible criteria.
