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Aristotle believes that art has the ability to tie people together in ways that purely
analytical techniques are incapable of. The method of mimicry– something Plato would describe
as a deviating abstraction from true Forms– is an integral part of human nature. Aristotle writes
that, “the instinct of imitation is implanted in man from childhood, one difference between him
and other animals being that he is the most imitative of living creatures, and through imitation
learns his earliest lessons; and no less universal is the pleasure felt in things imitated” (Poetics,
ch. 4). It is in human nature to appreciate the arts, not only for their imitation of real world
phenomena, but their ability to transmit harmonic and rhythmic feelings as well. Imitative crafts
and the positive valence we derive from arts are deeply human values, and Aristotle believes that
opposing art foolishly ignores the vital role it plays in human development and satisfaction.
He sees poetry and the arts as a generalized version of the human experience, and
acknowledges that well written characters, stories, or melodies can bring people closer to the
truth of human nature. Just “as the painter’s eye teaches us how to look and shows us what we
never saw, the dramatist presents things that never existed until he imagined them, and makes us
experience worlds we could never have found the way to on our own” (Sachs para 3). Aristotle
writes in chapter nine of his book, Poetics, how, “Poetry [is] a more philosophical and a higher
thing than history: for poetry tends to express the universal, history the particular.” The ability of
art to abstract meanings larger than the sum of its parts allows artists who are in touch with the
themes and messages of different parts of life to create representations of the world with great
finesse, illuminating the backstage acts of the human psyche.
That said, Aristotle is particular in the quality of artistic content he holds to high regards.
Throughout Poetics, he tears apart elements of artistry, listing specifically what makes a strong
piece of literature or harmony. He specifies the importance of medium, portrayal of objects, and
Aristotle believes that art has the ability to tie people together in ways that purely
analytical techniques are incapable of. The method of mimicry– something Plato would describe
as a deviating abstraction from true Forms– is an integral part of human nature. Aristotle writes
that, “the instinct of imitation is implanted in man from childhood, one difference between him
and other animals being that he is the most imitative of living creatures, and through imitation
learns his earliest lessons; and no less universal is the pleasure felt in things imitated” (Poetics,
ch. 4). It is in human nature to appreciate the arts, not only for their imitation of real world
phenomena, but their ability to transmit harmonic and rhythmic feelings as well. Imitative crafts
and the positive valence we derive from arts are deeply human values, and Aristotle believes that
opposing art foolishly ignores the vital role it plays in human development and satisfaction.
He sees poetry and the arts as a generalized version of the human experience, and
acknowledges that well written characters, stories, or melodies can bring people closer to the
truth of human nature. Just “as the painter’s eye teaches us how to look and shows us what we
never saw, the dramatist presents things that never existed until he imagined them, and makes us
experience worlds we could never have found the way to on our own” (Sachs para 3). Aristotle
writes in chapter nine of his book, Poetics, how, “Poetry [is] a more philosophical and a higher
thing than history: for poetry tends to express the universal, history the particular.” The ability of
art to abstract meanings larger than the sum of its parts allows artists who are in touch with the
themes and messages of different parts of life to create representations of the world with great
finesse, illuminating the backstage acts of the human psyche.
That said, Aristotle is particular in the quality of artistic content he holds to high regards.
Throughout Poetics, he tears apart elements of artistry, listing specifically what makes a strong
piece of literature or harmony. He specifies the importance of medium, portrayal of objects, and
