How Attention Shapes Our Experience of Beauty | Mohan Matthen | Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Toronto | Season 9 Episode 9 | #145

reeducated

In this enriching episode, I sit down with Mohan Matthen, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Toronto and an esteemed figure in contemporary philosophy of perception, aesthetics, and the nature of time. Our conversation takes us from his personal journey transitioning from mathematics and physics into philosophy, highlighting his unique cross-disciplinary approach and his deep exploration of sense perception.

Mohan and I delve into fascinating discussions about how our senses—sight, sound, touch—are integrated by the mind to form coherent experiences of the world. He explores intriguing philosophical puzzles, such as whether beauty is purely sensory or cognitively constructed, using examples from abstract art by Mark Rothko to the mathematical elegance of Euler’s formula. We discuss the profound phenomenon of awe and its sensory and intellectual components, considering how appreciation of beauty varies with attention, cultural context, and personal openness.

We also reflect on practical ways to enhance one's sensory awareness and appreciation for beauty, including simple exercises like spending intentional time observing artworks or natural scenes. Mohan shares insights on how shifting from active seeking to passive receiving in perception can unlock new depths of aesthetic experience, even in everyday environments. This episode invites listeners to reconsider their relationship with the sensory world and explore the profound intersections between philosophy, perception, and the arts.