International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue VI, June 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186
Aesthetics and Education: A Perspective Essay
Elvis Omondi Kauka
Department of Educational Foundations, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya
Abstract: This essay purposes to convey the aesthetical premises of Educational praxis. It elucidates Platonian and Aristotelian criteria for determining beauty and harmony. It also explains how beauty acts as the foundation of Education by appealing to Educational aspects like curriculum, delivery methods, learning environment and grooming. A crucial fact laid out is that beauty is formal, informal and non-formal, and as such, it pervades all spheres and forms of Education.
I. DEFINITION OF AESTHETICS
The term Aesthetics is derived from the Greek word Aisthanesthai (transliterated), which means to perceive. It points to the harmonious relationships that human senses (visual, tactile, olfactory, taste and auditory) build when they grasp nature or art. It is the sum of feelings aroused by the sensual experiences, the character of the experience of the things themselves and the subjective judgment of desirability related to perceiving physical entities or actions. Desirability condition of aesthetics is pegged on empiricism, and being such, it can be re-defined as the Philosophical study of beauty.
II. CRITERIA FOR BEAUTY
In daily experiences, humans affirm or deny that an object X of their perception is beautiful otherwise. The question is, which criteria do they use? Are these criteria objective or subjective? Plato and Aristotle attempted some answers to the foregoing questions.
- Platonian threefold criterion
Plato posits a tripartite criterion for beauty, namely; Proportion, Harmony and Unity:
Mathematical proportionality as a determinant of Beauty: What is beautiful is thus mathematically proportional in its constituent elements. The more significant the difference in ratios the uglier an entity, the smaller the ratio equivalence the more beautiful an entity. Consider, for instance, the rational differences between the head and the general body of a person; Anatomists have what they mathematically consider as a normal head side to body ratio outside of which they would attribute abnormality.