The experience of imitation: creating and enjoying images

Human beings are born image-makers and image-enjoyers.

Denis Dutton, 2009.

Denis Dutton discusses Aristotle's view on arts—Aristotle's approach of considering all art to be imitation (mimesis) of some sort. Our interest and pleasure in performing plays and engaging in poetry, carving, painting and drawing reflects our need (or instinct?) for perceiving, understanding and modeling the world around us. 

Keywords: Aristotle, philosophy, anthropology.

Reference

Denis Dutton: The Art Instinct. Beauty, Pleasure & Human Evolution. Bloomsbury Press, New York, 2009; page 33.

Landscape preference

Preferred landscapes are characterized by coherence and legibility: terrain that provides orientation and invites exploration.

Denis Dutton, 2009.

According to the Savanna Hypothesis, human beings are attracted by landscapes of “prospect and refuge” as provided by open space that includes groupings of bushes or trees, flowering plants, water and evidence of animal life. Suggestions of infinity and elements of mystery typically increase the human interest in and the emotional response to what they see—whether painted or real. 

Keywords: desirable landscapes, grand vistas, longing and beauty, psychology.

Reference

Denis Dutton: The Art Instinct. Beauty, Pleasure & Human Evolution. Bloomsbury Press, New York, 2009; pp. 19-21.

Animals do not create art, humans do

It is entirely in the Darwinian spirit that we respect other animals as the astonishing creations they are, with purposes precisely suited to their lives.

Denis Dutton, 2009.

Although there are animals that show something humans would call artistry, like the ornamented bower of the male bower bird of New Guinea, they do this for a single purpose (attracting a female in this case), but afterwards they “forget” about it—no interest in preservation, a following art fair or the development of an artistic culture.  

Keywords: evolution, arts, science.

Reference

Denis Dutton: The Art Instinct. Beauty, Pleasure & Human Evolution. Bloomsbury Press, New York, 2009; page 9.

State of the arts

The state of the arts today can no more be inferred from looking inside prehistoric caves than today's weather can be predicted from the Ice Age.

Denis Dutton, 2009.

Denis Dutton argues, instead, that the state of the arts can best be understood and explored by first-hand observation and experience of present artistic tastes and works.  

Keywords: evolution, prediction, arts, science.

Reference

Denis Dutton: The Art Instinct. Beauty, Pleasure & Human Evolution. Bloomsbury Press, New York, 2009; page 3.

Darwinian ideas in research and scholarship

Recent years have seen immensely productive applications of Darwinian ideas in anthropology, economics, social psychology, linguistics, history, politics, legal theory, and criminology, as well as the philosophical study of rationality, theology, and value theory.

Denis Dutton, 2009.

Following Charles Darwin, Denis Dutton underlines that human culture and artistic creativity—although outstanding and immensely complex—do not happen isolated from evolution.

Keywords: evolution, psychology, arts, science, human nature.

Reference
Denis Dutton: The Art Instinct. Beauty, Pleasure & Human Evolution. Bloomsbury Press, New York, 2009; page 2.