Ugliness and Nature

In this paper, I object to the view that ugliness is only apparent and that what might seem to be ugly is in fact beautiful. This view holds that ugliness is really just a variety of beauty, and there is no negative aesthetic value in the world. In environmental aesthetics, my focus, this is expressed as the thesis of «positive aesthetics», which has been developed by several philosophers, most notably, Allen Carlson. As he puts it: «the natural environment, insofar as it is untouched by man, has mainly positive aesthetic qualities; it is, for example, graceful, delicate, intense, unified, and orderly, rather than bland, dull, insipid, incoherent, and chaotic» (Carlson, 2000, p. 5). Against this type of position, I argue that ugliness in nature is real and cannot be explained away by acquiring knowledge of some ugly thing or through some holistic understanding of how apparently ugly things/phenomena function within beautiful ecosystems. Although I ultimately argue that ugliness is a form of negative aesthetic value, I then develop a position to show why we might have other reasons to care about ugliness in nature, and therefore seek to protect it.En este artículo, me opongo a la concepción de que la fealdad es tan sólo aparente, de que cuanto pudiera parecer feo, es en realidad bello. Esta concepción sostiene que la fealdad es sólo una variedad de la belleza, y que no existe un valor estético negativo en el mundo. En la estética medioambiental, en la que me centro, esta concepción se expresa con la tesis de la «estética positiva», que ha sido desarrollada por diversos filósofos, especialmente por Allen Carlson. Tal como él la presenta: «el entorno natural, en tanto que no tocado por el ser humano, tiene principalmente cualidades estéticas positivas; es, por ejemplo, elegante, delicado, intenso, unificado y ordenado, en vez de soso, aburrido, insípido, incoherente y caótico». (Carlson, 2000, p. 5). Contra esta posición, argumento que la fealdad en la naturaleza es real y que no desaparece cuando adquirimos conocimiento sobre el objeto feo ni gracias a una comprensión holística acerca de cómo cosas o fenómenos aparentemente feos desarrollan su función dentro de ecosistemas que son bellos. Aunque finalmente argumento que la fealdad es una forma de valor estético negativo, entonces desarrollo una posición para mostrar por qué tendríamos otras razones para preocuparnos por la fealdad en la naturaleza, y por tanto tratar de protegerla

Fealdad y naturaleza

En aquest article , m'oposo a la concepció que la lletjor és tan sols aparent , que com pogués semblar lleig , és en realitat bell . Aquesta concepció sosté que la lletjor és només una varietat de la bellesa , i que no existeix un valor estètic negatiu en el món . En l'estètica mediambiental , en la qual em centro , aquesta concepció s'expressa amb la tesi de la « estètica positiva » , que ha estat desenvolupada per diversos filòsofs , especialment per Allen Carlson . Tal com ell la presenta : « l'entorn natural , en tant que no tocat per l'ésser humà , té principalment qualitats estètiques positives , és , per exemple , elegant , delicat , intens , unificat i ordenat , en comptes de insípid , avorrit , insípid , incoherent i caòtic » . ( Carlson , 2000 , pàg . 5) . Contra aquesta posició , argument que la lletjor a la natura és real i que no desapareix quan adquirim coneixement sobre l'objecte lleig ni gràcies a una comprensió holística sobre com coses o fenòmens aparentment lletjos desenvolupen la seva funció dins d'ecosistemes que són bells . Encara que finalment argument que la lletjor és una forma de valor estètic negatiu , llavors desenvolupament una posició per mostrar per què hauríem altres raons per preocupar-nos per la lletjor a la natura , i per tant tractar de protegir-la.In this paper, I object to the view that ugliness is only apparent and that what might seem to be ugly is in fact beautiful. This view holds that ugliness is really just a variety of beauty, and there is no negative aesthetic value in the world. In environmental aesthetics, my focus, this is expressed as the thesis of «positive aesthetics», which has been developed by several philosophers, most notably, Allen Carlson. As he puts it: «the natural environment, insofar as it is untouched by man, has mainly positive aesthetic qualities; it is, for example, graceful, delicate, intense, unified, and orderly, rather than bland, dull, insipid, incoherent, and chaotic» (Carlson, 2000, p. 5). Against this type of position, I argue that ugliness in nature is real and cannot be explained away by acquiring knowledge of some ugly thing or through some holistic understanding of how apparently ugly things/phenomena function within beautiful ecosystems. Although I ultimately argue that ugliness is a form of negative aesthetic value, I then develop a position to show why we might have other reasons to care about ugliness in nature, and therefore seek to protect it.En este artículo, me opongo a la concepción de que la fealdad es tan sólo aparente, de quecuanto pudiera parecer feo, es en realidad bello. Esta concepción sostiene que la fealdades sólo una variedad de la belleza, y que no existe un valor estético negativo en el mundo.En la estética medioambiental, en la que me centro, esta concepción se expresa con la tesisde la «estética positiva», que ha sido desarrollada por diversos filósofos, especialmente porAllen Carlson. Tal como él la presenta: «el entorno natural, en tanto que no tocado por elser humano, tiene principalmente cualidades estéticas positivas; es, por ejemplo, elegante,delicado, intenso, unificado y ordenado, en vez de soso, aburrido, insípido, incoherente ycaótico». (Carlson, 2000, p. 5). Contra esta posición, argumento que la fealdad en la naturalezaes real y que no desaparece cuando adquirimos conocimiento sobre el objeto feo nigracias a una comprensión holística acerca de cómo cosas o fenómenos aparentemente feosdesarrollan su función dentro de ecosistemas que son bellos. Aunque finalmente argumentoque la fealdad es una forma de valor estético negativo, entonces desarrollo una posiciónpara mostrar por qué tendríamos otras razones para preocuparnos por la fealdad enla naturaleza, y por tanto tratar de protegerla

"Boss Lady": the diagonal networks of African American women photographers from Reconstruction to the Harlem Renaissance

This dissertation argues that the relationships between the first African American women photographers and the various networks they utilised in order to achieve their careers were rooted in notions of respectability, and therefore took on unique 'horizontal,' 'vertical,' and 'diagonal' characteristics. Combining close readings of photographic images with discussion of network theory, I recover the works and lives of neglected African American women artists. Focussing on the period from Reconstruction to the Harlem Renaissance, I discuss the impact of 'horizontal,' 'vertical,' and 'diagonal' networks on these women's careers. By focussing on the foundational years of African American women's camerawork, I am able to chart the changing ideas of the nature of the professional in relation to these networks and shifting artistic ideas. The Introduction establishes my network theory, and contextualises the silence surrounding African American women photographers in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Chapter One explores the importance of marriage as a key vertical network, and how the domestic informed the professional in these women's careers. Finally, Chapter Two introduces the idea of the diagonal network, and how some African American women photographers used professional networks in order to place themselves at the top of their own hierarchies. By combining network theory alongside photographic analysis and biographical information, I seek to rectify the absence of African American women photographers in the American photographic canon and emphasise the innovative and important nature of these women's careers

Identity and Exile in Isabel Allende's Trilogy

Thesis advisor: Kathy A. LeeIn this paper I examine the characteristics of exile as they appear in Isabel Allende's novels The House of the Spirits, Daughter of Fortune and Portrait in Sepia. I argue that each of her protagonists is in exile and seeks identity through the act of writing. The impact of external factors on the exile, such as setting, movement, and family, is minimal in comparison to the effect of writing on her protagonists. Allende, herself an exile, finds identity through writing, and her protagonists do the same.Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2004.Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: English.Discipline: College Honors Program

The city in aesthetic imagination

Aineisto on Opiskelijakirjaston digitoimaa ja Opiskelijakirjasto vastaa aineiston käyttöluvist

A Comparison of Bird Diversity and Water Quality Within Aquatic Ecosystems

Undergraduate Theoretical Proposa

The Beholder's Share: Pictorial Representation and Imagination

The aim of this thesis is twofold. I undertake to show that theories of pictorial representation give an unsatisfactory account of pictorial experience because they neglect the role of imaginative activity in the spectator's response. To remedy this problem, I outline a theory of imagination and use it to elucidate the nature of this activity