Self-Centered Aesthetics: The Role of Shared Bio-Psychological Nature in Aesthetical Judgment

This paper tries to explain the impact of the physical characteristics of the human being in formation of mental criteria for aesthetical judgment by employing a bio-psychological approach. It first presents the views of philosophers and psychologists on key foundations of aesthetical judgment, i.e. instinct and experience. Then the role of human body in shaping instincts is explained. In particular, it is hypothesized that self-centered instincts of the human being lead to the attribution of human characteristics to his surrounding objects and environment. This anthropomorphized understanding constitutes the basis for a value system for aesthetical judgment. Several samples of such anthropomorphism can be found in literature, art and architecture.