Savoring Disgust

The Foul and the Fair in Aesthetics

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Aesthetics
Cover of the book Savoring Disgust by Carolyn Korsmeyer, Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Carolyn Korsmeyer ISBN: 9780190207847
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: March 17, 2011
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Carolyn Korsmeyer
ISBN: 9780190207847
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: March 17, 2011
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

Disgust is among the strongest of aversions, characterized by involuntary physical recoil and even nausea. Yet paradoxically, disgusting objects can sometimes exert a grisly allure, and this emotion can constitute a positive, appreciative aesthetic response when exploited by works of art -- a phenomenon labelled here "aesthetic disgust." While the reactive, visceral quality of disgust contributes to its misleading reputation as a relatively "primitive" response mechanism, it is this feature that also gives it a particular aesthetic power when manifest in art. Most treatments of disgust mistakenly interpret it as only an extreme response, thereby neglecting the many subtle ways that it operates aesthetically. This study calls attention to the diversity and depth of its uses, analyzing the emotion in detail and considering the enormous variety of aesthetic forms it can assume in works of art and --unexpectedly-- even in foods. In the process of articulating a positive role for disgust, this book examines the nature of aesthetic apprehension and argues for the distinctive mode of cognition that disgust affords -- an intimate apprehension of physical mortality. Despite some commonalities attached to the meaning of disgust, this emotion assumes many aesthetic forms: it can be funny, profound, witty, ironic, unsettling, sorrowful, or gross. To demonstrate this diversity, several chapters review examples of disgust as it is aroused by art. The book ends by investigating to what extent disgust can be discovered in art that is also considered beautiful.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Disgust is among the strongest of aversions, characterized by involuntary physical recoil and even nausea. Yet paradoxically, disgusting objects can sometimes exert a grisly allure, and this emotion can constitute a positive, appreciative aesthetic response when exploited by works of art -- a phenomenon labelled here "aesthetic disgust." While the reactive, visceral quality of disgust contributes to its misleading reputation as a relatively "primitive" response mechanism, it is this feature that also gives it a particular aesthetic power when manifest in art. Most treatments of disgust mistakenly interpret it as only an extreme response, thereby neglecting the many subtle ways that it operates aesthetically. This study calls attention to the diversity and depth of its uses, analyzing the emotion in detail and considering the enormous variety of aesthetic forms it can assume in works of art and --unexpectedly-- even in foods. In the process of articulating a positive role for disgust, this book examines the nature of aesthetic apprehension and argues for the distinctive mode of cognition that disgust affords -- an intimate apprehension of physical mortality. Despite some commonalities attached to the meaning of disgust, this emotion assumes many aesthetic forms: it can be funny, profound, witty, ironic, unsettling, sorrowful, or gross. To demonstrate this diversity, several chapters review examples of disgust as it is aroused by art. The book ends by investigating to what extent disgust can be discovered in art that is also considered beautiful.

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book Consciousness and the Social Brain by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Empire of Ideas by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Europe before Rome by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book The Great War And Modern Memory by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Giving Aid Effectively by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Walter Camp by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Psychiatric Genetics by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Hypnosis for Chronic Pain Management by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Anne of Green Gables Level 2 Oxford Bookworms Library by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Daughters of Hecate by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book The Scleroderma Book by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Spanish Literature: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Slave Narratives after Slavery by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Landscapes of Hope by Carolyn Korsmeyer
Cover of the book Soviet Baby Boomers by Carolyn Korsmeyer
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy