Art and Beauty as Being-for-Itself: Robert Spaemann's Aesthetics

Abstract: Robert Spaemann's aesthetics has yet to receive a comprehensive treatment, and this article is the first attempt to do so. Spaemann's way of resurrecting the Aristotelian notion of art as imitating nature is unusual, including for Aristotelians. The nature that is visibly imitated is, ultimately, invisible, and spiritual. This quasi-sacramental understanding leads Spaemann to appreciate contemporary art as well. Art's imitation of the invisible is a call to self-transcendence and a reminder of our own spiritual nature.