A Study Of Arnold Berleant’s Aesthetic Engagement Theory

Arnold Berleant, as one of the most important representatives of westen environmental Aesthetics, is the emeritus professor of Long Island University of the United States and former chairman of international aesthetics association. He has published seven books, hundreds of academic papers. Aesthetic engagement theory is the core of Arnold Berleant aesthetics, in his early aesthetics of phenomenal science study and the subsequent environmental aesthetics studies aesthetic engagement involved throughout the study, with different angle to improve. Aesthetic engagement makes people gradually change the opposition of subject and object mode of thinking, to rethink the relationship between art and environment, human and nature, aesthetic and our life, which both the western aesthetics, or Chinese aesthetics has great significance.In the history of western aesthetics, Kant’s aesthetics is undoubtedly plays a crucial role, until today, aesthetic disinterestedness, distance and is still regarded as the main way to appreciate art. But with the development of the times, appeared such as the Behaviorism Art, Dada and many other new art forms and artistic phenomenon, is recognized by the traditional aesthetics aesthetic field has been unable to explain; At the same time, in recent years the aestheticians to natural beauty of attention, also raises the question of traditional aesthetics and art theory. Obviously both artistic appreciation and aesthetic environment, we need a more inclusive aesthetic theory. Berleant’s aesthetic engagement theory from monism perspective, advocating the perception into the body in the aesthetic process of heart, make up the traditional concept of art appreciation in the face of modern art and the nature of the problem, regardless of the environmental aesthetics and the aesthetic field of great significance.Influence of aesthetic engagement theory by the experience of Dewey theory and the Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of perception, based on Dewey Berleant experience theory, emphasizes the aesthetic based position in the process of sensory experience, and puts forward the continuous integration of aesthetic experience and aesthetic. The body is the basis of perceptual experience fusion, Berleant aesthetic engagement presents largely due to the inheritance of Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology.Arnold Berleant is recognized as the representative of environmental aesthetics. It is generally more concerned about his environment aesthetic idea, but it also leads to one sidedness of his thought. Although the theory of engagement aesthetic in the90’s was formally puted forward, but the involvement of the ideological aesthetics study appeared in the early70’s aesthetic phenomenology, can be said to explore the the Aesthetic Field is the beginning of the aesthetic engagement ideas. In the early days of the phenomenological research, Berleant proposed the establishment of aesthetic theory should be based on the aesthetic experience as the foundation, all starting from the experience, aesthetic experience, and this whole complex only in the aesthetic field can be understood, the concept of Berleant further explains the aesthetic field. The aesthetic field is a field in perception, is composed of four elements of interaction, namely the art object, the perceiver, artists and performers. Four interdependent elements, which form a whole.Associated with earlier studies, and absorbed by the body theory and other theories, Arnold Berleant formed its become an independent school of environmental aesthetics. At this stage, the aesthetic engagement theory was put forward, and become the core of its environmental aesthetics. Berleant believed that human and environment is one of the relationship, not in opposition to each other. Aesthetic engagement can become the contemporary western environmental aesthetics has wide influence theory, inseparable and Berleant unique view of environment. Starting from the integrated environment view, he proposed the theory of aesthetic of the environment should start from perceptual experience. The aesthetic engagement theory is deeply influenced by the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty’s body, Berleant think the perception of the environment is a kind of experience in the process, we need to put all the sensory system. At the same time, the aesthetic engagement absorbed Dewey’s thought, mainly reflected in the extension of the Dewey "continuity" theory. Body, continuity and participation is the main characteristic of the aesthetic. engagement Aesthetic engagement in order to experience as the starting point, with the common characteristics of environmental aesthetic and artistic aesthetic as the foundation.Aesthetic engagement theory defines the aesthetic appreciation from the brand-new angle of view, regardless of the traditional aesthetics and aesthetics to the new environment is of great value. However, aesthetic engagement theory also challenged by contemporary scholars at home and abroad, The same environmental aesthetician represented by Alan Carlsson is one of them, other environmental aesthetician, for example about Sepama, Saito Yuriko and others have put forward different views and aesthetic engagement. Progressive aesthetic engagement is obvious, but as a fledgling theory, it is not perfect in theory, some aspects still exist some limitations, such as being subjective suspicion, emotional neglect and so on, has yet to be further improved.