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ARCHIEJ. BAHM each other. Let us examine and compare of form, eulogizes forms as not only ultigeneral metaphysical tendencies in each of mate reals but also as ultimate goods. When the three major civilizations in which their forms are regarded as goods, the aesthetic is respective aesthetic theories are grounded. to be located in intuitive apprehension of Ideally, comparisons should be made in them, whether in Plato's pre-existence or in such a way that other cultures will be com- Aristotle's contemplative reason. Attempts pared with the ideals of each culture, taken at analysis of forms lead to ideals of harin turn, as standard. Each, then, may well monious forms and of harmony between be judged superior by its own standards forms, with subcategories such as symmetry, and inferior by other standards. I choose balance, and equilibrium. After idealized to compare Hindu and Chinese views in reason was incorporated into the Christian terms of two metaphysical traits which God, such reason constituted a part of the have dominated Western culture, though glorious perfection of God, who not only I discovered that they so dominated only embodies good will but also the only perfect after studying Hindu and Chinese cultures intrinsic value. For Thomas Aquinas, God and finding these traits deemphasized and becomes not only his own end-in-itself but despised.
also "man's last end." The ultimate in the way of aesthetic experience is coming "face to face" with God. "God alone," says
Jonathan Edwards, "is truly beautiful." These two traits, Will and Reason, stem Western philosophy, when pursuing the respectively from the two main taproots of ideals of its Greek ancestors, locates the Western civilization, the Hebraic and the aesthetic in intuiting reason as intrinsic Greek. Will has status in ultimate reality value, even though its conceptions of the as the will of God, whereby God creates nature and pervasiveness of reason vary. and governs the world. God's will is good, Our Hebraic heritage, first idealizing will and so is man's, except when man sins by as the source of both power and satisfacwilling to go against the will of God. Greek tion, locates good in feelings of satisfaction, philosophers, idealizing reason, regarded and eulogizes "peace on earth" as freedom will as irrational and distrusted it as evil. from conflict among wills. The Greeks Reason, as the principle of order, regularity, taught harmony of forms; the Hebrews stability, and eternality in both man and harmony of wills. The aesthetic, conseuniverse, provides the basis for the nature quently, is to be located in feeling securely of things and for deductive certainty about at home in a happy family. Christian thethem. Faith in the discernibility of the ology absorbed not only God's will but also forms of things begot ideals of perfect de- located the aesthetic, for both God and finability, whether as Platonic Ideas, man, in experiencing the doing of what is Aristotle's Forms, or the laws of nature or pleasing to God. Intrinsic value consists of logic. Will acts rightly only when assent- in the satisfaction of desire. In fact, "desire ing to reason. In Christian theology, as de- is the only basis of value; value itself does picted in the Augustinian synthesis, reason not exist until desire is being satisfied." 3 and will are identical in God, who is per- The aesthetic consists in intuiting such satfect, but never quite so in man, who is im- isfaction. The aesthete, the artist, and the perfect. Two significant facts need to be aesthetician must look for those elements, noted: Both will and reason are idealized as or wholes, or organic unities in experiences, ingredient in ultimate reality. Persisting including the objects experienced, which opposition between will and reason resulted tend to produce such satisfaction. Art obin recurrent outbreaks of intellectual indi- jects may be described as beautiful when gestion in Western thought, not only in they produce a satisfying experience, e.g., theology but also in conflicting aesthetic as when they are "restful." theories.
But Western idealizations of will shifted Our Greek heritage, idealizing perfection emphasis from satisfaction of desire to de
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