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Thomas Baker
, Faculty of Faculty of Arts
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Research Summary
I am researching the notion of whole-selves aesthetic appreciation (WSA). This term may be regarded as an uncontroversial slogan of sorts, since most people agree we should respond with our whole… read more
Current Research
I am researching the notion of whole-selves aesthetic appreciation (WSA). This term may be regarded as an uncontroversial slogan of sorts, since most people agree we should respond with our whole self, but disagree on what this amounts to. What I take WSA to suggest however is not uncontroversial: the expansion of what may count as aesthetically relevant responses to artworks to include contagious emotions, tastes, smells, physiological and somatic states.
I am particularly interested in how these seemingly private, sensuous states put us in contact with artworks, and how awareness of these responses may play a role in our aesthetic judgements.