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One interesting thing is the idea that people have of a…

“One interesting thing is the idea that people have of a kind of science of Aesthetics. I would almost like to talk of what could be meant by Aesthetics. You might think Aesthetics is a science telling us what's beautiful - almost too ridiculous for words. I suppose it ought to include also what…” quote by Ludwig Wittgenstein
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““One interesting thing is the idea that people have of a kind of science of Aesthetics. I would almost like to talk of what could be meant by Aesthetics. You might think Aesthetics is a science telling us what's beautiful - almost too ridiculous for words. I suppose it ought to include also what sort of coffee tastes well. I see roughly this - there is a realm of utterance of delight, when you taste pleasant food or smell a pleasant smell, etc., then there is a realm of Art which is quite different, though often you may make the same face when you hear a piece of music as when you taste good food. (Though you may cry at something you like very much.) Supposing you meet someone in the street and he tells you he has lost his greatest friend, in a voice extremely expressive of his emotion. You might say: 'It was extraordinarily beautiful, the way he expressed himself.' Supposing you then asked: 'What similarity has my admiring this person with my eating vanilla ice and like it?' To compare them seems almost disgusting. (But you can connect them by intermediate cases.) Suppose someone says 'But this is a quite different kind of delight.' But did you learn two meanings of 'delight'? You use the same word on both occasions. There is some connection between these delights. Although in the first case the emotion of delight would in our judgement hardly count.””

Ludwig Wittgenstein

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Aesthetic judgment blends sensory pleasure with artistic experience, yet the term “delight” covers diverse, sometimes unrelated, sensations.

In simple terms: Aesthetics links taste, smell, and art through shared delight.

Key Takeaway

Recognize both commonality and distinction in different kinds of delight.

Themes

aesthetics philosophy perception language emotion

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical analytical

When to use this quote

  • food tasting
  • music appreciation
  • art critique
  • philosophical discussion

Key Concepts

semantic analysis sensory experience art criticism

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do we differentiate aesthetic pleasure from sensory pleasure?
  • Can language capture the subtleties of delight?
A Different Perspective

Over‑generalizing can obscure nuanced differences.

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