What is beauty, and what is truth? And what does aesthetics have to do with either?

Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy concerned with the whole nature of experience itself, explored through our perceptions, feelings and emotions. The study of aesthetics, along with its widespread application in philosophical, artistic and literary circles, gained currency in the 18th century at the dawn of the Romantic period. What was recognised then – that to act upon our true feelings means taking a step into the unknown – is what aesthetics is centrally concerned with now.

Aesthetics today is not only a scholarly discipline but also the means for developing a philosophy of life based upon emotion.

Introducing Aesthetics is a lively and engaging tour through this vital field of inquiry, encompassing thinkers from Plato to the Postmodernists.