
DELIVERABLES
- Physical mock-up
- Poster
- Presentation
PROGRAMME
Master
LENGTH
3 weeks
YEAR
2019
TO WHAT EXTENT DOES OUR INITIAL KNOWLEDGE OF AN OBJECT AFFECT HOW WE PERCEIVE IT AESTHETICALLY?
In “Toward Eco-friendly aesthetics”, written by Sheila Lintott, the author explains how we tend to show more respect towards things we find aesthetically pleasing. Lintott believes that we see some natural objects as aesthetically unpleasing due to our lack of affection towards them, and that our lack of affection is often based on faulty knowledge and irrational fears which are only justified in certain contexts. The author suggests that individuals can learn how to aesthetically appreciate those natural objects we often deem to be ugly with the help of scientific knowledge. The claim made is that knowledge about an object enhances our affection, and in turn our aesthetic judgements. After having read the paper, we asked ourselves if this claim is necessarily true. Does initial knowledge of an object affect how we perceive it aesthetically, and more importantly, can new knowledge truly alter our aesthetic perceptions and judgements? Our group has chosen to highlight this subject by designing a scenario in which our prior knowledge about an object comes to be challenged. Our task for you is to consider wether your initial aesthetic judgement about the lamp and switch did in fact change after finding out that their functions contradicted your prior knowledge of how they work.