Papaya, Pomegranates, and Green Tea
Oxford University Press eBooks March 30, 2017 DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198790648.003.0005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that aesthetic experience should be understood within broader accounts of consciousness, drawing on Oliver Sacks and similar authors as examples of a "triangulation" strategy that combines phenomenological, psychological, and neuroscientific perspectives. The chapter proposes that Frank Jackson's "knowledge argument" and the Mary thought experiment bear on both aesthetic experience and the cognitive value of film art. |
Abstract
Aesthetic experience is a variety of consciousness, and the exploration of consciousness has exploded in the last thirty years. How does aesthetic experience fit into the larger picture? The chapter reviews the fortunes of consciousness as an object of study across the past century; various contemporary perspectives on consciousness; and the different dimensions and levels of consciousness. The representation of aspects and types of consciousness in diverse forms of filmmaking is explored. Special attention is paid to the work of Oliver Sacks and similar authors, who in combining phenomenological, psychological, and neuroscientific considerations exemplify the strategy of triangulation. Finally the chapter considers the implications of Frank Jackson’s ‘knowledge argument’, and his associated thought experiment about Mary the colour scientist, for both aesthetic experience and the cognitive value of film art.