Art and Phronetics

The most significant element of the Kantian revolution is his conception of Reason as being fundamentally Practical, not Theoretical, as tradition had previously had it. But, a subtler perhaps equally subversive component of his System is his analysis of the appreciation of Beauty, specifically his thesis that such contemplation entails a 'play' of the cognitive faculties. That such motions are intrinsic to the experience of Contemplation undermines the Platonist model that continues to influence Philosophical theories, of Contemplation as a closed static passive experience. One exception has been Dewey, who argues that the contemplation of Art is not merely passive but involves constructive cognitive processes as well. But probably the most ambitious overturning of Contemplationism comes from Nietzsche, with his 'Will to Power', which is oriented to the production of Creativity, not its reception. This overturning of Platonism is rooted in his continuation of Schopenhauer's prioritizing of Music over the visual arts. And, at one point he asserts that Music is fundamentally localized Dance, namely a Dance of the player's hands, fingers, breathing, etc., as well as of the listener's hearing. So, another challenge to Platonism can target the implicit prioritizing of visual Aesthetic experience in Contemplationism. Thus, if, in contrast, Dance is Philosophically paradigmatic, Value attaches to structured motion, not to passive viewing. Individual Evolvement is structured motion, so Evolvemental Phronetics promotes activities that may be contrary to Platonistic Value Systems.