想象与自然——简析约瑟夫·艾迪生的美学理论

Imagination and Nature——A Brief Analysis of Joseph Addison’s Aesthetic Theory

18世纪美学中“自然”被赋予了新的内涵,这一变化与美学思想的转向有着密切的联系。该文尝试从艾迪生对于“想象的愉悦”的阐释入手,结合经验主义的哲学思潮,论述“自然”与“想象”这两个美学概念之间的联系。艾迪生对于“自然”的理解一方面将其从目的论中解放了出来,另一方面又引入了“想象”这一概念,使“自然”成为在眼睛和心灵中形成的图像,我们通过想象来对日常世界进行改造,使之产生了个人心灵的联想意义。艾迪生借此构建了一种新的审美模式,对于后来西方美学以及艺术都产生了深远影响。

In the 18th century,“nature” was given a new connotation in aesthetics,and this change was closely related to the shift in aesthetic thought.This paper attempts to discuss the connection between the aesthetic concepts of “nature” and “imagination” in the light of Addison’s interpretation of the “pleasure of imagination” and the philosophical trend of empiricism.Addison’s understanding of “nature” frees it from teleology on the one hand,and introduces the concept of “imagination” on the other hand,making “nature” an image formed in the eye and mind,through which we can imagine the world.We transform the everyday world through our imagination,giving it a sense of personal association with the mind.In this way,Addison constructed a new aesthetic paradigm that had a profound impact on subsequent Western aesthetics and art.