A Critical Study On E·F·Carritt’s Aesthetic Theory

E·F·Carritt，former vice chairman of the British Society for aesthetics, a famousaesthetician, philosopher and ethicist in the expressionist period of Britain, his mainaesthetics works include "theory of beauty","what is beauty?",“An Introduction toAesthetics ". Working with Collingwood, he actively advocated Croce’s expressionismtheory, making the aesthetics of expressionism an important school of modern westernaesthetics. According to Carritt’s three major aesthetic works and some aestheticthesis about his aesthetics theory, based on the core thesis "beauty is the expression ofemotion" this paper deals with three parts: the theory of beauty, the theory of taste andthe theory of art.Carritt believes that the only foundation of philosophy of beauty is the aestheticexperience of human beings; the result of any effort to find aesthetic standards will bedisappointing. Aesthetics can not directly alter our aesthetic experience, or increaseour aesthetic pleasure, but only helps us to understand our aesthetic experience andaesthetic object better. He agrees with Croce on that beauty is different from utility,goodness and truth, but disagrees that beauty is the intuitive feeling. Admitting therational element of aesthetic activity, Carritt believes that beauty is the expression ofemotion. In his theory, aesthetic activities are unrelated to utility, morality and sensorystimulation, but rather the judgment of beauty and ugliness. He also believes that theessence of art is beauty, and essence of art lies in the expression of emotion. Besides,formal art and representative art, formal art and expression art are inseparable.Imagination is important to artist, but it is not the most important part in aestheticexperience.