Monthly Archive for June, 2011

Philosophy Postgraduate Colloquium – 14/06/11

Published on June 13, 2011 in Events. 0 Comments

Title: “In every gesture dignity and love”: The problem of grace between Aesthetics and Theology

Speaker: Martino Rossi Monti

Date, Time: 14/6/2011, 5:15pm

Location: Old Quad Common Room

Abstract: What do the flight of a swan and the moves of an athlete have in common? What is the relationship between a smile and an elegant gesture? How can all these things be called graceful? Does one have to be morally good in order to be graceful? Is there a connection between human grace and divine grace? I will try to address these questions by focusing on a tradition of thought in which aesthetic grace and theological grace are deeply intertwined. I believe that some of the most significant modern theories of grace are deeply rooted in this old tradition, which roughly starts with Plotinus and runs through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Philosophy Postgraduate Colloquium – 7/06/11

Published on June 5, 2011 in Events. 0 Comments

Title: Analytic of the Dynamically Sublime via Kinaesthesia

Speaker: Ross Barham

Date, Time: 7/06/11, 5:15pm

Location: Old Quad Common Room

Abstract: Kant characterizes the dynamically sublime as arising from the aesthetic judgment of the otherwise fearful mightiness of the natural world as having no dominion over us. As a partial corollary of this characterization, Kant assumes that the dynamically sublime can be appreciated only via visual perception. I shall argue, however, that the nature, principles and testimonials of the non-violent, Japanese martial art, Aikido, suggest that the dynamically sublime is equally amenable to certain modes of kinesthetic appreciation.