In his essay:

Art and Aesthetics in Action

Written by: Professor Severyn T. Bruyn

Bruyn a new venture in aesthetics.


Below are polar ideas in philosophy. Polar ideas are contrary or contradictory to one another. The taxonomic image in Table 1 should prepare our thinking about how a philosophy of aesthetics develops in a university.

The analysis of D.W. Gotshalk is based on contrary principles, but we now expand their number. A new philosophy of aesthetics now asks questions about how contrary ideas touch every discipline. 

This observation of opposites may assist in reading, and thinking about art.

Polar Principles in Art

Philosophical Being vs. Becoming Order vs. Change Subject vs. Object Conscious vs. Unconscious Same vs. Different Repetition vs. Innovation	Unity vs. Plurality Spirit vs. Matter Mind vs. Body Real vs. Ideal Feeling vs. Reason Knowledge vs. Ignorance
Religion/ Ethics Sacred vs. Secular Transcendent vs. Imminent Human vs. Divine Life vs. Death Everything vs. Nothing Right vs. Wrong Virtue vs. Vice	Interior vs. Exterior Mortal vs. Immortal Heaven vs. Hell Holy vs. Unholy Moral vs. Immoral           Good vs. Evil               Inner vs. Outer
Natural Science Night vs. Day Soft vs. Hard Black vs. White Female vs. Male Wide vs. Narrow Deep vs. Shallow	Light vs. Dark Smooth vs. Rough       Summer vs. Winter Height vs. Depth Fast vs. Slow Tall vs. Short
History Particular vs. Universal Unique vs. Common Structure vs. Change Continuity vs. Discontinuity Present vs. Future	Natural vs. Human Progression vs. Regression Cyclic vs. Linear Present vs. Past Causality vs. Telos
Politics Freedom vs. Justice Liberty vs. Slavery Male vs. Female	Hierarchy vs. Equality   Guilt vs. Innocence Upper Class vs. Lower Class
Humanities and Arts Conceal vs. Reveal Control vs. Surrender Spontaneity vs. Design Seeing vs. Finding Impulse vs. Idea Fact vs. Value Logic vs. Intuition Appreciation vs. Judgement Comedy vs. Tragedy Harmony vs. Discord Purity vs. Impurity Beautiful vs. Hideous Vitality vs. Decay	Social Science Optimism vs. Pessimism Community vs. Individual Despair vs. Rage Innocence vs. Guilt Connection vs. Disconnection                  Social vs. Economic Religion vs. Science       Inhibit vs. Release Visible vs. Invisible Simplicity vs. Complexity Empty vs. Full True vs. False   Life vs. Death.