AESTHETICS OF EXTREME: EXPERIENCE, CONTEMPLATION, IMAGINATION

The article considers aestheticisation of the perception of the world by a modern person, which is directly related to the transformation of his/her meanings and values. Modern culture actualises the aesthetic life position, determined by the preference for a direct-sensual view of the surrounding reality. The sensual side of the attitude to reality is leading also in extreme activities. At the same time, unlike other types of aestheticisation of human existence, extreme experiences acquire semantic integrity, since they require a person to be purposefully active in their production: here a person acts as a focused actor.