The great philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist masterfully offers his fascinating outline of Aesthetics Theory. Drawing on the art, literature, and social sciences involved, Santayana discusses the nature of beauty, form, and expression.
INTRODUCTIONPART I. THE NATURE OF BEAUTY1. The philosophy of beauty is a theory of values2. Preference is ultimatly irrational3. Contrast between moral and æsthetic values4. Work and play5. All values are in one sense æsthetic6. Æsthetic consecration of general principles7. Æsthetic and physical pleasure8. The differentia of æsthetic pleasure not its disinterestedness9. The differentia of æsthetic pleasure not its universality10. The differentia of æsthetic pleasure: its objectication11. The definition of beautyPART II. THE MATERIALS OF BEAUTY12. All human functions may contribute to the sense of beauty13. The influence of the passion of love14. Social instincts and their æsthetic influence15. The lower senses16. Sound17. Colour18. Materials surveyedPART III. FORM19. There is a beauty of form20. Physiology of the perception of form21. Values of geometrical figures22. Symmetry23. Form the unity of a manifold24. Multiplicity in uniformity25. Example of the stars26. Defects of pure multiplicity27. Æsthetics of democracy28. Values of types and values of examples29. Origin of types30. The average modified in the direction of pleasure31. Are all things beautiful?32. Effects of indeterminate organization33. Example of landscape34. Extensions to objects usually not regarded æsthetically35. Further dangers of indeterminateness36. Illusion of infinite perfection37. Organized nature the source of apperceptive forms; example of sculpture38. Utility the principle of organization in nature39. The relation of utility to beauty40. Utility the principle of organization in the arts41. Form and adventitious ornament42. Form in Words43. Syntactical form44. Literary form. The plot45. Character as an æthetic form46. Ideal characters47. The religious imaginationPART IV. EXPRESSION48. Expression defined49. The associative process50. Kinds of value in the second term51. Æsthetic value in the second term52. Practical value in the same53. Cost as an element of effect54. The expression of economy and fitness55. The authority of morals over æsthetics56. Negative values in the second term57. Influence of the first term in the pleasing expression of evil58. "Mixture of other expressions, including that of truth"59. The liberation of self60. The sublime independent of the expression of evil61. The comic62. Wit63. Humour64. The grotesque65. The possibility of finite perfection66. The stability of the ideal67. ConclusionINDEX
