A Study On The Theory Of Shusterman's Somaesthetics

As a representative pragmatist of the neo-pragmatism aesthetics, Richard Shusterman bases his design of the construction of the subject-somaesthetics on the analysis of analytic aesthetics and deconstructive aesthetics, with the absorption of the main thoughts of the classical pragmatism. Meanwhile, he has also quotated from the core of Chinese traditional philosophy and managed to integrate his theory with it together.This thesis totally includes the following parts:In the introduction various viewpoints of the research of "body" and the necessity of Shusterman's somaesthetics are illustrated. Moreover, the procession of the creation of the theory of somaesthetics and its practical application are generally concluded. Some research progress in somaesthetics and the target of the writing of this thesis are both stated.The first chapter aims at the introduction of Shusterman's personal background and academic exploration. The statement of his change from analytic philosopher to a pragmatist is a foundation for his theory of somaesthetics.The second chapter focuses on the creation of somaesthetics and components of the theory.The thesis also tries to explore the connection between pragmatism philosophy and smaesthetics theory. After the absorption from Baumgarten's esthetics,Shusterman's theory of somaesthetics was founded on the base of other philosophers'research, such as Nietzsche, Foucault, Merleau-Ponty and Dewey. Shusterman's somaethetic can be divided into three dimensions:analytic "somaethetic aesthetics ",pragmatism somaethetic aesthetics "and practical "somaethetic aesthetics ". The practical training of somaesthetics is emphasized in this chapter. The latest development of somaesthetics is mentioned in this part.Besides Shusterman's practical mechanisms and their effects, this chapter discovers that somaesthetics shares a lot with Chinese traditional philosophy in common. There should be an attempt to discover the weakness of somaethetics theory to avoid the side effects of its application in the modern society of China.Eventually,the distinction of Shusterman's theory that somaesthetics is applied into practice is restated in the conclusion.The author tends to create a proposal that the theory of somaesthetics can be probably applied to create a fine life with art.