When Understanding Destroys Wonder: The Danger of Reducing Beauty | James Shelley | American Society for Aesthetics vice president | Season 9 Episode 3 | #139

reeducated

In this conversation, I explore the profound nature of aesthetic experience with philosopher James Shelley, who argues that beauty represents a fundamental value that cannot and should not be reduced to mere pleasure or utility. We begin with his transformative childhood encounter with classical music an experience so vast and mysterious that it felt larger than the world he knew and discuss how truly beautiful things always maintain an element that escapes our complete understanding. Shelley makes a compelling case that this "bottomlessness" is essential to aesthetic experience; if we could ever fully grasp a beautiful thing, it would cease to be beautiful altogether.

Our discussion takes a critical turn as we examine how contemporary culture increasingly treats beauty as nothing more than "pleasure-giving lumps of matter." Shelley warns that this reductive approach, whether in academia, consumer culture, or daily life, fundamentally misses what makes aesthetic experiences valuable and risks turning us into "lumps of matter that seek pleasure" rather than fully human beings. We explore concrete examples of this cultural shift, from copy-paste suburban developments in Dublin, California, to the replacement of family heirlooms with disposable Costco purchases. These aren't just aesthetic losses but represent a deeper erosion of humanity itself.

The conversation becomes deeply personal as we discuss how cognitive barriers, social expectations, preconceptions about "high" and "low" art, and the pressure to justify everything in utilitarian terms often prevent us from experiencing beauty that's readily available around us. Using examples from heavy metal music to the steam rising from a tea cup, we explore how aesthetic appreciation requires both intellectual engagement and the willingness to let go of defensive mechanisms that keep us from being truly moved. Ultimately, Shelley argues that beauty, sublime experiences, and aesthetic value more broadly should be considered fundamental human values alongside happiness not mere means to other ends, but intrinsically worthwhile aspects of what makes life worth living and civilization worth preserving.