Aesthetic Realism
Aesthetic Realism is a philosophy founded in 1941 by the American poet and critic Eli Siegel (1902–1978). He defined it as a three-part study: "[T]hese three divisions can be described as: One, Liking the world; Two, The opposites; Three, The meaning of contempt."
The Aesthetic Realism Foundation is located in SoHo (NYC) | |
| Founder | Eli Siegel (1902–78) |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Philosophy dedicated to the understanding of, and greater respect for, people, art, and reality. |
| Coordinates | 40.725989°N 73.99882°W |
Chair | Ellen Reiss, Chairman of Education |
| Website | AestheticRealism.org |
Aesthetic Realism differs from other approaches to mind in identifying a person's attitude to the whole world as the most crucial thing in their life, affecting how one sees everything, including love, work, and other people. For example, it says racism begins with the desire to have contempt for what is different from oneself. The philosophy is principally taught at the Aesthetic Realism Foundation, an educational institution based in SoHo, New York City.
In the 1980s the Foundation faced controversy for its assertion that men changed from homosexuality to heterosexuality through study of Aesthetic Realism. In 1990, it stopped presentations and consultations on this subject.