Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Aesthetics
(2,383 words)

1. Terminology

1.1. Definition

Aesthetics (Greek aisthánesthai: “to perceive, notice”; aísthesis: “perception”; aisthetikós: “concerning sensory perception”) is in the strict sense (1) the branch of philosophy dealing with beauty and the fine arts, and in the broader sense (2) the science of sensory perception as a whole, particularly - especially in the 18th century - (3) the perception of artistic and natural beauty, but also,…

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Laak, Lothar van, “Aesthetics”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_017126>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20160321



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