Clarifying And Rethinking The Aesthetics Of Expressionism

This paper is about to discuss the differences between Croce and Collingwood mainly by analyzing two different concepts,emotions and expression,which are very common in the expressionist aesthetics,and to prove the fact that Collingwood hasn't inherited and developed the theory of Croce,instead he just borrowed some views he loved to prove his own theory.After that we will discuss two defects in the art theory of Croce which is about the valuation of art and the philosophy system constructing by Croce,and try to solve these problems by using Croce's own logic.In the first chapter we will prove that emotion is not belonging to the aesthetics of Croce.In his theory emotion is the same as sensation,mechanism and passivity.The reason why he uses "emotion" in a high frequency is to make clear that the concept of intuition is not a cold word.In Collingwood's theory "emotion" means the experience of imagination.For the reason that emotion is not belong to the aesthetics of Croce,no matter what change has happen in the meaning of "emotion" of Collingwood's theory,we cannot judge that Collingwood's theory has developed the theory of Croce.In the second chapter we will prove that Croce needs a new meaning for expression to protect the intuition from people's misconception of intuition and incapable artists' lie.But in the real world the activity of expression is totally different from the activity of intuition so that in Croce's theory the intuition just means being able to express rather than the real activity of expression.And for Croce,the relationship of the theoretic activity and the practical activity is distinct rather than contradict,therefore,expression can be a real and different part of the activity of intuition,which means that the definition of art in Croce's theory can include the activities of expression.In Collingwood's theory,the aim of the view that art is a kind of conscious activity is about to exclude the theory that art is derive from psychological activities,rather than agree with the distinction of the theoretic activity and the practical activity of Croce's theory.But due to the fact that only in Croce's philosophy can that view be reasonable,it is inevitable that Collingwood put forward a idea that totally different from Croce later,which means that Collingwood cannot inherit and develop Croce's theory.Besides compared with Collingwood's theory,Croce's theory is more reasonable,but that doesn't means there is no defect in Croce's theory.So in the third chapter we will discuss two defects in Croce's aesthetics:one is the defects of Standards of Art Value,the other is the defects of Croce's philosophy system.Regarding to the first defect,although Croce defining beauty as successful expression is a failure,there is another value of art in Croce's theory,which is"extensive" that comes from intellectual,economic and ethical values.Despite Croce has made a point that the extent of art is empirical and impossible to define,he has to admit that the difference of quantity sometimes is equal to the difference of quality.When he accepts the extent of art as the other standard of art value,the right answer of art value will come up in the end.Regarding to the second defect,Zhu Guangqian has raised three questions:first in Croce's philosophy system the contradiction is the impetus for the opposite part to transform into each other,than is there any impetus for the different part to transform into other part?Second if intellectual,economic and ethical part can transform into intuition,how can we make sure the intuition is the first activity of mind?Third Croce's philosophy system only has explained the activities of spirit but still has no idea of the existence of mere matter,so the problem of dualism of matters and spirit hasn't been solved.From those questions mentioned above,we will prove that:firstly,the philosophy of Croce is a system focusing on spirit which represents the activities of human being,so that our inborn deficiency is the impetus for the different part to transform into other parts;secondly the "perception" that Zhu Guangqian mentioned in his book is belong to Croce's intuition,and the "intuition of art",in fact,is the same activity as"perception",although it has experienced the transform of other kinds of activities of spirit.Besides,only intuition can be independent from other activities,therefore the activities of spirit still have to start from intuition.Thirdly we admit the fact that Croce hasn't solved the problem of dualism of matters and spirit,and we think only when Croce accept the mere matter into his philosophy system as a different but contradict part to spirit,can matter be attacked and conquered by form.