The Sublime of Consciousness
British Journal of Aesthetics October 7, 2024 DOI: 10.1093/aesthj/ayae005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that phenomenal consciousness—the experiential quality of subjective awareness—should be considered a sublime phenomenon, appreciated through fitting awe at its perplexing existence in an otherwise completely material universe and at its role in injecting meaning and value into an otherwise brutally factual reality. |
Abstract
The aesthetic tradition has identified as paradigmatically sublime such objects as imposing mountains and intense storms, as well as monumental art. But the tradition also acknowledges less paradigmatic cases, including sometimes mathematical structures or abstract concepts. In this paper, we argue that there is also a case for considering phenomenal consciousness—the experiential quality of subjective awareness—as a sublime phenomenon. One appreciates this, we argue, when one is struck by (fitting) awe upon contemplating (a) the perplexing existence of something like phenomenal consciousness in an otherwise completely material universe and (b) the role of consciousness in injecting meaning and value in an otherwise brutally factual reality.