--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never went into aesthetics. Aesthetics…" description: "\"I never went into aesthetics. Aesthetics is what philosophers have to say about art, and a lot of them take an analytics position and raise the questio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab9/don-ihde-48619_art_i-never-went-into-aesthetics-aesthetics_856117.jpg" --- # I never went into aesthetics. Aesthetics is what… ![“I never went into aesthetics. Aesthetics is what philosophers have to say about art, and a lot of them take an analytics position and raise the question, "What is an art object?" As soon as you fall into that trap, an artist is going to come along and say, "That isn't art - it's something else."…” quote by Don Ihde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab9/don-ihde-48619_art_i-never-went-into-aesthetics-aesthetics_856117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab9/don-ihde-48619_art_i-never-went-into-aesthetics-aesthetics_856117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab9/don-ihde-48619_art_i-never-went-into-aesthetics-aesthetics_856117.jpg) > “I never went into aesthetics. Aesthetics is what philosophers have to say about art, and a lot of them take an analytics position and raise the question, "What is an art object?" As soon as you fall into that trap, an artist is going to come along and say, "That isn't art - it's something else." That's a hopeless gig.” [Don Ihde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-ihde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aesthetic analysis can trap philosophers into defining art too narrowly, leading artists to reject those definitions as limiting. **In simple terms:** Defining art too strictly limits artistic freedom. Key Takeaway Avoid rigid definitions; embrace openness. Themes philosophy art definition Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - art criticism - philosophy lectures - creative workshops Key Concepts aesthetics analytic philosophy artist autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How can we discuss art without limiting it? - What benefits arise from embracing ambiguity? A Different Perspective Art cannot be fully captured by strict definitions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aesthetics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetics/) [Aesthetics Aesthetics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetics-aesthetics-802153/) [Aesthetics Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetics-philosophers-802152/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Hopeless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopeless/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Question Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-art-375424/) [Went Aesthetics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-aesthetics-802154/) ## Related quotes > [The question of art songs always came up with Gastr del Sol. 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Maybe ... we should change the question: Can art change people's lives?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jr/can-art-change-the-world-maybe-we-should-change-the-question-can-art/) [JR](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jr/) > [My question about my art and my music has always been, 'Am I good, or am I good because?' I'm not the artist who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-naan/my-question-about-my-art-and-my-music-has-always-been-am-i-good-or-am/) [K'naan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-naan/) > [“No man sings as beautifully as when his song is accompanied by a woman’s voice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/no-man-sings-as-beautifully-as-when-his-song-is-accompanied-by-a/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [Road cycling, especially up mountains. It's the heady mixture of endorphins and aesthetics that I love. My wife does it too, and being with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/road-cycling-especially-up-mountains-it-s-the-heady-mixture-of/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [ Probably the high-watermark of \[Bob\] Dylan's career came after he plugged in his guitar ("Judas!" one fan shouted during a concert) and exploded American… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/probably-the-high-watermark-of-bob-dylan-s-career-came-after-he/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## More by Don Ihde > [Definitions get you into that time trap, and I'm very much more process-focused. Take Lucy, for example. Lucy is famous largely because she has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-ihde/definitions-get-you-into-that-time-trap-and-i-m-very-much-more/) [Don Ihde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-ihde/) > [I remember reading about a court case where a man tried to stab a judge with a pencil. There are Google pages full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-ihde/i-remember-reading-about-a-court-case-where-a-man-tried-to-stab-a/) [Don Ihde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-ihde/) > [You have a long history of changes in diagnosis, from no touching to touching, to assessing acoustics and visuals. But visual is a problem,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-ihde/you-have-a-long-history-of-changes-in-diagnosis-from-no-touching-to/) [Don Ihde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-ihde/) > [What specialists try to do is get at least three imaging processes that are totally different from each other. Then you can run these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-ihde/what-specialists-try-to-do-is-get-at-least-three-imaging-processes/) [Don Ihde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-ihde/) > [A lot of the medical imagery has to do with my own biography. I had open heart surgery, I had knee replacements, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-ihde/a-lot-of-the-medical-imagery-has-to-do-with-my-own-biography-i-had/) [Don Ihde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-ihde/) > [I argue that science would be much richer if it were multisensory. The problem with instrumentation is that instruments, unlike our senses, can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-ihde/i-argue-that-science-would-be-much-richer-if-it-were-multisensory-the/) [Don Ihde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-ihde/) > [I can't experience my brain because I'm inside of it. If you're imaging your brain, you can also find scary things. As one ages,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-ihde/i-can-t-experience-my-brain-because-i-m-inside-of-it-if-you-re/) [Don Ihde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-ihde/) [Explore all 8 Don Ihde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-ihde/) ## More Aesthetics quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [ Probably the high-watermark of \[Bob\] Dylan's career came after he plugged in his guitar ("Judas!" one fan shouted during a concert) and exploded American… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/probably-the-high-watermark-of-bob-dylan-s-career-came-after-he/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [Road cycling, especially up mountains. It's the heady mixture of endorphins and aesthetics that I love. My wife does it too, and being with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/road-cycling-especially-up-mountains-it-s-the-heady-mixture-of/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [“No man sings as beautifully as when his song is accompanied by a woman’s voice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/no-man-sings-as-beautifully-as-when-his-song-is-accompanied-by-a/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [ \[Alexei Nemov\] has the best feel for the aesthetics of the sport. He doesn't just do a skill; he makes it look gorgeous. Some… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-vidmar/alexei-nemov-has-the-best-feel-for-the-aesthetics-of-the-sport-he/) [Peter Vidmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-vidmar/) > [The great work of art is the complete banality, and the fault with most banalities is that they are not banal enough. Banality here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/the-great-work-of-art-is-the-complete-banality-and-the-fault-with/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [I find the aesthetics of the 20th century hopelessly barren.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-find-the-aesthetics-of-the-20th-century-hopelessly-barren/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [For it is a mad world and it will get madder if we allow the minorities, be they dwarf or giant, orangutan or dolphin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/for-it-is-a-mad-world-and-it-will-get-madder-if-we-allow-the/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We’re surrounded by anonymous, poorly made objects. It’s tempting to think it’s because the people who use them don’t care-just like the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/we-re-surrounded-by-anonymous-poorly-made-objects-it-s-tempting-to/) [Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/) > [After a certain high level of technical skill is achieved science and art tend to coalesce in aesthetics, plasticity, and form. The greatest scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/after-a-certain-high-level-of-technical-skill-is-achieved-science-and/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There's only so much you can do until you get on set and see the aesthetics of what you're dealing with. Then you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-urban/there-s-only-so-much-you-can-do-until-you-get-on-set-and-see-the/) [Karl Urban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-urban/) > [In our view the Olympic idea involves a strong physical culture supplemented on the one hand by mobility, what is so aptly called 'fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/in-our-view-the-olympic-idea-involves-a-strong-physical-culture/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) [Browse all 302 Aesthetics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never went into aesthetics. 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