@article{article_309665, title={The Reflection of Aesthetics and Art Philosophy Thought in Ibn Miskawayh}, journal={Cumhuriyet İlahiyat Dergisi}, volume={21}, pages={1013–1034}, year={2017}, DOI={10.18505/cuid.309665}, author={Turan, Ramazan}, keywords={Aesthetic Experience,Beauty,Art,Ibn Miskawayh}, abstract={<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"> <b>Abstract: </b>It cannot be said that
Ibn Miskawayh (d. 421/1030) who lived in the 11th century, systematically
addressed the fundamental issues of aesthetics and philosophy of art. But he
dealt with aesthetic experience and beauty as a problem. He regards the basic
characters of the aesthetic experience as unity. The unity is the nature of the
divine and purpose of seeking harmony, proportion and rhythm in the physical
world is to approach this unity. According to him, the beauty is an objective
concept and the thing that is beautiful is determined in the triangle of
soul-nature-matter. What makes something beautiful is the harmony between the
soul that reflects the divine and the sufficiency of the substance which has an
ability to take it. When the artist processes the appropriate thing for the
soul on the matter then the completeness arises. The completeness is the
product of the relationship between theory and practice, each of them completes
the other. Ibn Miskawayh also analyzes music and poetry in his work, and he
thinks that music is the closest experience to reach the divine. The experience
which is obtained through music is more influential than any other arts. In his
view, music is related to the unity and the cosmic order. He has a prudent
approach to poetry because he draws attention to the fact that the poetry uses
tricks which irritate direct the soul. </p> <p> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"> <b>Summary: </b>The aim of this study is
to examine the aesthetics experience and beauty expressions in the Ibn
Miskawayh’s (d. 421/1030) thought. He dealt with aesthetic experience and
beauty as a problem. He mentions two kinds of beauty perception: the first one
is temporary and partial beauty, the other one is general beauty perception.
The temporary and partial beauty sense is individual, there is no objective
criterion. But the general beauty sense is mentioned as an objective and the
real beauty. According to him, the forms are seen beautifully by people is a
result of the completeness and harmony between elements. Ibn Miskawayh’s view
of aesthetic experience arises in four aspects. The first is triangle of
soul-nature-matter where the nature is the front namely the dimension in which
nature is effective when we have to determine the aesthetic harmony between
matter and soul. The intervention of the artist at this dimension has no
effect. Beauty, unity and harmony are determined by the ability of material
to take shape and the model taken from the soul. The more the resulting product
represents the soul, the more its impact on the perceiving. This is the effect
on objects that appear as beauty, flaw, ugliness, and that perceive visually. </p> <p> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;">In the second dimension, which is
the triangle of soul-nature-matter, the artist takes place between nature and
material, where the artist is more active. Artist composes a matter while
performing art. The aesthetic formation of the artist’s product, in the first
place, is the representation of the nature and even the soul forms. If the
artist reflects the forms of the soul in his work and he imitates its forms,
the product which is obtained becomes better. At that moment the artist enjoys
his art, takes pleasure and feels special feelings. </p> <p> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;">The other dimension is the
aesthetic experience that is obtained by avoiding the effects of nature,
which is only about music. According to him, the pleasure of music is more
effective than the others and it is like pleasures of the divine world. A person
who is competent to receive the divine goes beyond physical pleasures by the
influence of music. But on the contrary, there are also some voices that affect
the person in the negative and that disturb the soul. </p> <p> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;">Forth, the material dimension.
Although the source of the principles that enable the aesthetic experience base
on in the divine world, the material has an effect on this experience. In other
words, in the formation of this experience, the ability of the material to take
the form of soul must be perfect. He explains this by giving examples of the
wax and seal. According to this, if the wax is not competent enough to receive,
for example dry, wet, solid or melted, the seal cannot take that form even if
it is competent to give a copy, the wax cannot take it. Therefore, it must be
free from imperfections. </p> <p> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;">According to him, the reasons why
we perceive something beautiful are the balance, harmony, rhythm, and
conformity in colors and measure. These criteria are different for every
artistic experience. Moderation and balance are related to visual experience;
harmony and rhythm are related to music; hardness, softness, loudness is
related to sound and meter is related to liter}, number={2}, publisher={Sivas Cumhuriyet University}