Of the standard of taste

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Of the Standard of Taste is an essay by Scottish philosopher David Hume on the possibility and nature of a general standard of taste in the field of art.

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The large differences in the field of taste perception, for example in literature, raise the question of whether there is a standard that enables the evaluation of conflicting sensations.

According to Hume, this standard can be obtained from observing what is perceived as pleasant regardless of time and culture. Hume also assumes that when the faculties of the mind work correctly, the same objects always produce the same sensations.

The main reason for the differences in taste that can be observed in reality is the fact that there are numerous factors that interfere with the error-free functioning of these abilities, such as a lack of delicacy of sensation or prejudices on the part of the recipient .

The essence of the good critic consists in having a mind that works undisturbed by these mistakes through a strong sense, fine feeling, experience in the field, knowledge of comparable works and freedom from prejudice.

The standard of taste is defined by Hume as the unanimous judgment of such good critics: "[...] and the joint verdict of such [critics], wherever they are to be found, is the true standard of taste and beauty". Using this standard, it is possible to evaluate various taste sensations.

Despite the standard, insurmountable but acceptable differences remain. These have two sources: differences in person and differences in culture. This acceptance finds its limits in moral questions, for example when something horrible is portrayed as good.

Creation and publication

Of the Standard of Taste was initially created primarily to enable the publication of the “Four Dissertations” (1757), a volume of essays which, after the originally intended essays “Vom Suicide” and “Of Suicide” were removed. From the Immortality of the Soul ”(English:“ Of the Immortality of the Soul ”) had become too narrow. The published edition contained the following essays: "The Natural History of Religion", "Of the Passions", "Of Tragedy" and "Of the Standard of Taste". The four essays plus the two originally planned were published in 2001 under the title "Four Dissertations And Essays on Suicide & the Immortality of the Soul".

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Hume, David "Of the Standard of Taste"
  2. ↑ cf. Hume, David “Of the Standard of Taste” in “Four Dissertations. I. The natural history of religion. II. Of the passions. III. Of tragedy. IV. Of the standard of taste "Ed. David Hume
  3. ↑ cf. Gracyk, Ted "Hume's Aesthetics" in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and "The Development of Western Aesthetics", "Major Concerns of 18th-Century Aesthetics" in Britannica Online

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literature

  • Fieser, James (2006). "David Hume - Essays, Morals, Political and Literary," The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, J. Fieser & B. Dowden (eds.). URL http://www.iep.utm.edu/humeessa/ visited on October 1, 2009
  • Gracyk, Ted “Hume's Aesthetics” in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy URL http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hume-aesthetics/#HumEssTas visited on October 1, 2009
  • David Hume: On the rule of taste . catware.net Verlag, Norden 2016, ISBN 978-3-941921-60-3 (Original title: Of the Standard of Taste . Translated by Martin Köhler).
  • "The development of Western aesthetics - Major concerns of 18th-century aesthetics" in Britannica Online