Ontological Interpretation Of The Spirit Of Arts

Title: Ontological Interpretations of the Spirit of Arts Specialty: Philosophy of Marxism Academic Advisor: Prof. Gao Qinghai The issue of the spirit of arts is one of the major issues in aesthetics, which is to be resolved in modern practice of arts, therefore, taking the spirit of arts as ontological suspense thus to interpret it is the thesis of this dissertation. The dissertation first assumes the subject of ontological interpretations as the spirit of arts, and the opposite is the traditional concept of the spirit of arts, which takes the spirit of arts as the meaning of life to make an ontological commitment and is unable undertake the meaning of life in this world, for as a abstract science it is stipulated by humanity. Ontology is a kind of objective thought assumption from life, which means logical commitments and constructions. If the ontological commitments are different, the spirit they embody and the meaning they reflect will be different. Pursuing the meaning of life cannot rest on the reflections of the epistemology, while it relies on the interpretations of ontology, because pursuing the meaning of life aims at pursuing the value of life, which is to be resolved by ontology. This is the prerequisite of the ontological commitments of the spirit of arts. On the basis of commitment of the spirit of arts, the dissertation starts the ontological pursing and stipulating of the spirit of arts, and it discusses the possibility of pursuing the ontology of the spirit of arts. Because of lack of the spirit we are affected or being affected by the theory of denying the reasonable existence of ontology of the spirit. Humanity is so-called humanity just because he exists not only as a kind of natural being, but also as a kind of spiritual being, which makes him different from other animals and which is more important. Spiritual existence is the existence of ideals, which desires to get rid of the physical bandage and soar to the world of ideals. It is the ideals that lead people to the bettering world of future. As far as art itself is concerned, it is created by humanity just as a result of escaping from the bandage of nature and pursuing ideals. The history of arts is the history of the spiritual development of humanity. Therefore, ontological commitments of spirits of arts are not only possible, but also inevitable. Theoretically speaking, any activities of arts are different from those ontological spiritual activities of other animals. Where there is humanity, where there is spirit of humanity, because all the beings in this world exist for the existence of humanity. Practically speaking, any activities of human arts are the activities of out-taking the ontology of spirit. Humanity has his own understanding of nature to improve himself through practice, thus he acquires his spiritual existence. Ontological commitment of spirit attaches great importance to any nation, any people, and any individual. So is the spirit of arts. A great nation needs great spirit, and great spirit can lead to great achievements. Spirit can enable people to be noble, spirit can enable people to be after truth, and spirit can enable people to be ready to sacrifice their lives for their ideals. Spirit of arts, as ontological suspense, is the pioneer of spirit of the time and nation. Arts become the undertaker and leader of the meaning of life, entrusting meaning and value to life to ontological spirit freeing, transcending, and creating. Arts undertake such an important task just because the root of ontology of spirit of arts is the life of humanity. The history of humanity is the history of human self-creation and the process of human self-realization to its being. As Hans-Georg Gadamer has stated that spirit forms life, which is the true scientific basis. It demonstrates that life is the equivalent of spirit. Spirit is thespirit of life, and there will be no spirit without human life. Matter exists passively, while life exists actively and creatively. Human spirit of life is the best embodiment of spirit of life of Being, thus spirit of Being of life forms the ontological basis of spirit of arts with the characteristics of pursuing the regeneration of meaning. This dissertation on the one hand sorts out the developments of philosophy of life historically; on the other hand, it analyzes the second life logically -------formation and characteristics of Being of life and ontological commitment of spirit of arts as a source of ontological spiritual life. The formation of ontological spirit of arts demands the existence of spirit of humanity, which demonstrates the spirit of the unity of the true (pursuing the truth), the good (realizing the value), and the beautiful (molding the temperament). The author of this dissertation aims to take the spirit of the unity of the true, the good, and the beautiful as the formation of ontology of the spirit of arts. It means to take the existence "of the unity and perfection of the world" as the existence of ontological existence of the spirit of arts of the unity of the true, the good, and the beautiful. Traditionally understanding the true, the good, and the beautiful takes place in the sense of epistemology. This dissertation gives a completely new interpretation of the true, the good, and the beautiful from a different point of view and demonstrates that the unity of the true, the good, and the beautiful embodies the characteristics of humanity, which contains human pursuit of perfection in this world. Ontology not only is theory testified by "Being", but also provides theoretical testimony for "Should-be", which is the aesthetic world of value. Pursuing life of "Should-be-so" and providing grounds for this kind of life are the missions of ontology of life. The suspense of pursuing the unity of the spirits of the true, the good, and the beautiful is the human spiritual realization of his pursuit of freedom. Taking the spirit of arts as suspense of ontology reflects that the spirit of arts is not forever unchanging. By exploring the changing history of the spirit of arts, this dissertation proves that the spirit of arts has different ontological formation in different times. Great changes have taken place within spirit of arts since the day of its birth, from the ancient times to the modern times, which is transmutation and transformation as we call it. Modern transmutation and transformation of the spirit of arts counter the classical spirit of arts and oppose the rationalism. The post-modern of the spirit of arts' coming into being is a great challenge to the authority of modernity of arts. All the changes within the spirit of arts are the results of the spiritual changes of humanity. In the new century the ontological unification and the re-formation of the spirit of arts are inevitable, which mean the comprehensive spirit and the critical spirit of reality, and the public spirit of ideals. Ontology of spirit of arts presents itself in a self-explanatory way after...