In defence of extreme formalism about inorganic nature: Reply to Parsons

British Journal of Aesthetics 45 (2):185-191 (2005)
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Abstract

I defend extreme formalism about inorganic nature against arguments put forward by Glenn Parsons. I begin by laying out the general issue over aesthetic formalism, and I describe the position of extreme formalism about inorganic nature. I then reconsider -Ronald Hepburn's beach/seabed example. Next I discuss the notions of function in play in our thinking about inorganic nature. And lastly I consider Parsons's flooding river example. I conclude that extreme formalism about inorganic nature is safe from Parsons's arguments.

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Nick Zangwill
University College London

Citations of this work

Sensory Force, Sublime Impact, and Beautiful Form.Eli I. Lichtenstein - 2019 - British Journal of Aesthetics 59 (4):449-464.
Environmental aesthetics.Allen Carlson - 2008 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Aesthetic Appreciation of Nature and Environmentalism.Allen Carlson - 2011 - Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplement 69:137-155.

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References found in this work

Functional analysis.Robert E. Cummins - 1975 - Journal of Philosophy 72 (November):741-64.
Categories of Art.Kendall L. Walton - 1970 - Philosophical Review 79 (3):334-367.
Formal natural beauty.Nick Zangwill - 2001 - Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 101 (2):209–224.
On aesthetically appreciating human environments.Allen Carlson - 2001 - Philosophy and Geography 4 (1):9 – 24.

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