Key

• Aesthetics: A discipline that studies human sensibility, physical sensations, and artistic impressions.
• Essence: The most fundamental and core nature or characteristic of a thing.
• Visualization: The process of transforming abstract concepts or data into visual forms.
• Embodiment: The role that the body plays in experience, cognition, and culture.
• Recovery: A future - oriented process of exploring new physical states.

Abstract

This podcast is hosted by Hara Ken'ya and features an interview with American scholar Ito Asa to discuss the significance of aesthetics in contemporary society. Ito Asa believes that aesthetics is not just about the study of "beauty"; rather, it focuses on exploring human sensibility and physical sensations, and on using language to analyze ineffable experiences. She emphasizes that language is an important part of design activities. Through conversations with people suffering from diseases, profound insights that predecessors have never touched upon can be unearthed. The two also discussed the role of embodiment in identity and the re - definition of health.

Insights

By deconstructing and reconstructing "beauty", we can re - examine our relationship with the world. Ito Asa's unique insights into aesthetics provide us with a new cognitive framework to understand those often - overlooked sensorial and physical experiences. This way of thinking is not only applicable to the fields of art and design but also inspiring for psychology, sociology, and other disciplines.

Views

01 "Aesthetics Is Not Out of Reach"

Aesthetics is not just a discipline for studying art; it is a philosophy for exploring human sensibility and physical sensations.

02 "Language Is a Tool for Design"

Language is not only a medium for communication but also a design tool that can be used to shape and change people's perceptions.

03 "Redefine Health"

Health should not have only one standard but should encompass various forms, including the states of physical defects or diseases.

In - depth Analysis

Aesthetics, Design, and the Body: Ito Asa and Hara Ken'ya's Dialogue to Explore the Boundaries of Perception

Tokyo — In a podcast called "Low - altitude Flight", host Hara Ken'ya had an in - depth conversation with American scholar Ito Asa about aesthetics, design, and the body. With her unique academic perspective and keen insights into human perception, Ito Asa brought a feast of thoughts to the listeners.

Aesthetics: A Philosophy for Exploring Sensibility

Ito Asa first clarified the common misunderstandings about aesthetics. She pointed out that aesthetics is not just the study of "beauty"; instead, it is a philosophy aiming to explore human sensibility, physical sensations, and the impressions brought by artworks. Different from traditional philosophy, aesthetics is not limited to the realm of language but tries to use language to analyze ineffable experiences.

"Human sensibility, physical sensations, and artistic impressions cannot be expressed in language, at least in the short term," Ito Asa said. "These may not have been formulated into language yet, but they are crucial for human activities. Aesthetics is to use language to analyze these contents."

Design: Visualization of Essence

Hara Ken'ya shared his understanding of aesthetics from the perspective of design. He believes that design is not just about creating beautiful appearances; more importantly, it is about discerning the essence of things and visualizing it. He compared designers to observers standing on different trees. Although their perspectives are different, they can ultimately see similar scenes.

"Design is to capture the latent, unseen, or essential things and transform them into visible forms," Hara Ken'ya said.

White and Hyaku - shiro: Values Beyond Colors

The two also delved deep into Hara Ken'ya's books White and Hyaku - shiro. Ito Asa appreciated the interpretation of "white" in Hyaku - shiro, believing that this book is not just a description of colors but an exploration of the purity and creativity hidden behind colors.

Hara Ken'ya explained that White is a reflection on the concept of "emptiness", while Hyaku - shiro is an excavation of the cultural and psychological meanings contained in the color "white". He emphasized that colors are not just physical phenomena but also psychological phenomena, closely related to the human body and mind.

The Body: A Carrier of Identity

Ito Asa's research focuses on the role of the body in identity. Through interviews with people suffering from diseases or disabilities, she tries to understand how they define themselves through their bodies and how they use language to express those unique experiences.

Ito Asa shared the story of artist Katayama Mari. Katayama Mari compared her ankle to a copper mine. Even if the copper mine is polluted and abandoned, it can still be regarded as a kind of beauty. This unique perspective helped Katayama Mari find her identity.

Ito Asa also mentioned another artist born without an arm. This artist added animal images to his self - portraits to express his sense of closeness to animals. These cases show that the body is not just a physiological existence but also a carrier of identity.

Health: A Diversified Concept

Ito Asa questioned the current society's one - dimensional understanding of health. She believes that health should not have only one standard but should encompass various forms, including the states of physical defects or diseases.

"Our imagination of health is very poor. There is almost only one concept of health," Ito Asa said. "In fact, health should be more细分 (segmented). For example, there is the health of people with cancer or the health of people with visual impairments."

She called on society to re - define health, recognize and respect the health in different physical states, and thus reduce discrimination and prejudice against diseases.

Forward - looking Thinking

This conversation triggered our profound thinking about aesthetics, design, and the body. In today's society, we are often restricted by various standards and ignore our own sensibility and uniqueness. The conversation between Ito Asa and Hara Ken'ya reminds us that we should re - examine our relationship with the world, embrace diversified values, and face life with a more open and inclusive attitude.

By continuously exploring and re - defining "beauty", we may be able to find a more real and profound self - awareness and thus create a better world.