Introduction to Kant's Aesthetics

Christian Helmut Wenzel is Associate Professor at the National Chi Nan University in Taiwan. He is the author of The Problem of Subjective Universality of the Judgment of Taste in Kant,published in German (2000).

"As an overall assessment, then, this is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and meticulous "guides" to Kant's aesthetic theory. Even though Wenzel clearly adopts a slightly different approach to Kant's aesthetic theory than this reviewer, this book is probably the best introductory volume currently available." Elisabeth Shellekens, The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism"In sum, I highly recommend this book to students and scholars with some familiarity with Kant and the “Critique of Aesthetic Judgment.” This book will surely deepen their understanding of Kant." Kenneth F. Rogerson, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews “Wenzel’s book is an invaluable aid for all serious students of Kant’s third Critique. The reconstruction of arguments is clear and concise; the annotated bibliography is remarkably knowledgeable and helpful.” Karl Ameriks, University of Notre Dame “This volume will be indispensable to any new reader of Kant's third Critique who seeks illumination of its key concepts, insights into its philosophical context, and guidance for further study.” Eckart Förster, Johns Hopkins University

• Foreword by Henry E. Allison viiiAcknowledgments xiAbout This Book xiiNote on the Translation xivIntroduction 1The Aesthetic Dimension Between Subject and Object 1The Meaning of “Aesthetic” 4Categories as a Guide 8The “Moments” of a Judgment of Taste 131 Disinterestedness: First Moment 19Disinterestedness as a Subjective Criterion 19Three Kinds of Satisfaction: Agreeable, Beautiful, Good 232 Universality: Second Moment 27The Argument from Self-Reflection: Private, Public, Universal 27Subjective Universality 31A Case of Transcendental Logic 35Singular “but” Universal 39How to Read Section 9 463 Purposiveness: Third Moment 54Purpose without Will, Purposiveness without Purpose 54Purposiveness and Form: Charm versus Euler 60Of “Greatest Importance”: Beauty and Perfection 65Beauty: Free, Dependent, and Ideal 694 Necessity: Fourth Moment 77Exemplary Necessity 77Kant’s Interpretation of the sensus communis 81The Deduction 865 Fine Art, Nature, and Genius 94Fine Art and Why It Must Seem like Nature 94Genius and Taste 98Genius and Aesthetic Ideas 1016 Beyond Beauty 106The Sublime 106Beauty as the Symbol of Morality 113The Analytic, the Dialectic, and the Supersensible 1207 Two Challenges 128Can Kant’s Aesthetics Account for the Ugly? 128Can there be Beauty and Genius in Mathematics? 133Summary and Overview 141Before Kant 141Kant’s Aesthetics 142After Kant 146Glossary 149Bibliography 157Index 171