April '26

One vertex will include none other than Immanuel Kant. This genius Prussian claimed that beauty was the most liberating thing known to the human mind. Experiencing it offers no purpose or meaning, just consolation. This was a truly remarkable thought, considering it came from a robotic pedant whose daily walks were so perfectly timed that the inhabitants of Königsberg set their clocks according to his strolls.

The American philosopher Denis Dutton held a more practical view. While the instinct for aesthetics is present since birth, it surely also has a purpose. Mother Evolution taught us to admire things that make our species prosper. This includes selecting an attractive partner to ensure a healthy and strong offspring or looking at a calming, open plain that does not offer any hideouts for a sabretooth tiger.

Pierre Bourdieu also saw the roots of aesthetic feeling in our past, though not that distant. The French sociologist was convinced that human taste shapes society since one’s birth. In fact, one’s social class also plays its role. One need not search far for an example. While plebeians of the sock world can be satisfied with a black sock, the more discerning arisockcracy revels in colourfulness.

So, who do we have to thank for the pleasant sensation you get when looking at your newest sock design? Subconscious tendencies, prehistoric forefathers, or your active brain coils?  If you agree that this is a well-formulated question, then everything is in order.