The Century Of Taste: The Philosophical Odyssey Of Taste In The Eighteenth Century

At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the focus of philosophy shifted from objective notions of beauty to the subjective concept of taste. In this book, George Dickie traces the development and decline of this mode of thought, critically evaluating the theoretical aims of five key figures in the theory of taste. Dickie looks at the work of Francis Hutcheson, whose inquiries into the origins of pleasure and displeasure led to the first systematic theory of taste. He offers critical readings of the associationist philosophies of Alexander Gerard and Archibald Allison - which he regards as "blind alleys" into which the theory of taste was diverted. He provides a critical look at Kant, placing his writings in the context of other theories of taste, and within the teleological scheme of his Third Critique. Finally, Dickie concludes with an extended study of Hume's short pamphlet, "Of the Standard of Taste", the epitome of philosophically sophisticated explorations of taste. Of interest to philosophers, aestheticians, and intellectual historians, The Century of Taste offers a clear, straightforward analysis of this crucial period in the development of modern theories of the experience of art and nature.

The Century of Taste offers an exposition and critical account of the central figures in the early development of the modern philosophy of art. Dickie traces the modern theory of taste from its first formulation by Francis Hutcheson, to blind alleys followed by Alexander Gerard and Archibald Allison, its refinement and complete expression by Hume, and finally to its decline in the hands of Kant. In a clear and straightforward style, Dickie offers sympathetic discussions of the theoretical aims of these philosophers, but does not shy from controversy--pointing out, for instance, the obscurities and inconsistencies in Kant's aesthetic writings, and arguing that they have been overrated.