Aesthetics as a Branch of Epistemology

Abstract

Goodman’s system of notation explicates the distinctions between notational and discursive, and it also distinguishes between aesthetic and non-aesthetic. Not, of course, expecting an essentialist definition that could distinguish between the two, Goodman rather looks for the differing ways that the symbol processes might reveal themselves. The “symptoms” of the aesthetic are: syntactic density, semantic density, syntactic repleteness, and exemplification. The first is characteristic of nonlinguistic systems and visual art in general and is distinguished from disjointness and differentiation of characters. Semantic density is seen in the function of expression in the visual arts, as what is being exemplified is not obviously excluded from belonging to other characters or exemplifying symbols. Syntactic repleteness distinguishes those instances that are more diagrammatic from those that are more representational. This account gives an analysis of the ways that words refer to objects in the world and in this account, all understanding is accomplished by tracing a symbol back to that to which it is referring, and once the circumscriptive correlation is complete so is the understanding. Symbols function as samples, which in turn refer to labels, but nothing comes already labeled. In this Goodman is also arguing for aesthetics as part of epistemology.