A Historical Survey Of Aesthetic Self-discipline And Reflection

Aesthetic autonomy has become a core concept of aesthetic modernity while developing in the history of modern aesthetics. As a result and confirmation of modernization, it is widely challenged by postmodern theories. As an autonomous field, aesthetics has the capacity to resist instrumental reason. It seems that post-modernity, which questioning the enlightening rationality, finds common tendency in it.In the very context of co-exist and conflict of modernity and post-modernity, this thesis traces the development of aesthetic autonomy by unfolding the aesthetic discourse from Kant to Bourdieu. As a comprehensive review, the thesis also presents criticism against aesthetic autonomy, such as isolating art from life, amplifying the differences between social classes, etc. While summarizing different theories into three common tendencies, three anti-autonomy theories are particular discussed here: avant-garde theory, pragmatist aesthetics and Bourdieu's cultural analysis of aesthetics. Then comes to the reflection part, including detailed meaning, socio-historical condition and cultural background of aesthetic autonomy. At the end, a historical and logical view toward aesthetic autonomy is advocated, with a reminder of avoiding deconstructionism and extremism.