Aesthetic Theory

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Aesthetic Theory

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A lighthouse shines its beam at dusk with the words "HAPPINESS GUIDES" in large white text over the image.
5mins
The Big Think Interview
We’ve been wrong about happiness. Here’s what philosophy says
"I think happiness is not a smiling face, it's more a smiling soul."
Jonny Thomson
A fern frond unfurling in a spiral shape against a plain green background.
1mins
The Well
Math is art. Here’s how to appreciate it that way.
What would the world be like if we focused on “the inherent beauty of math,” rather than its technical aspects? A statistician reflects:
Talithia Williams
A human eye is drawn in pencil on the left, blending into a stylized version of the same eye overlaid with blue and red concentric circles on the right.
3mins
The Well
Perception, explained in 3 minutes
What is perception, really? Philosopher Alva Noë on why perception is a puzzling phenomenon:
Alva Noë
A realistic illustration of a smoking pipe with the French text "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" written below it on a plain background.
6mins
The Well
The fascinating science of who succeeds in art
This scientist made an algorithm to predict which artists succeed — all without even looking at their art.
Albert-László Barabási
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