Lothian, A., 1999, Landscape and the philosophy of aesthetics: is landscape quality inherent in the landscape or in the eye of the beholder?, in: Landscape and Urban Planning, 44,
- Author : Lothian, A.
- Year : 1999
- Journal/Series : Landscape and Urban Planning
- Volume Number (CONSECUTIVE: Counting all Volumes of this Journal ever published) : 44
- Pages : 177-198
- Abstract in English : The objective of the paper is to examine the competing paradigms of landscape aesthetics, the objetivist and the subjectivist, and to trace the emergence of the paradigms through the contribution of philosophers. The literature of landscape quality assessment reflects two paradigms. The objectivst paradigm is illustrated by the many surveys of the landscapes, which classify and evaluate their based on assumptions, which may or may not be made explicit. The subjectivist paradigm requires the assessment of respondent preferences of landscapes and, through the use of statistical methods the contribution which the landscape’s physical components make to its quality is identified. This article offers a clear comparison of the objectivist and subjectivist paradigms. Both of these paradigms have long histories, having their roots in the contribution of philosophers over many centuries. Until around the 18 century. Philosophers viewed beauty in objectivist terms. Kant’s comprehensive theory of aesthetics has close parallels with and provides support for the contemporary theories of landscape quality based on Darwin’s evolutionary perspective which Kant pre-dated by nearly a century. The influence of the psychological perspective in latter half of the 19 century further consolidated the subjectivist paradigm as the dominant philosophical paradigm of aesthetics today.
- Comments/Notes : KEYWORDS: quality, landscape quality, philosophy of aesthetics, landscape theory, assessment. UTILITY: lecturers/teachers, academic research, (students of universities of professional education: understanding this paper requires some knowledge of history of philosophy).