Making Sense of the Claim that Beauty is Knowledge

Authors

  • Paul A. Dumol University of Asia & The Pacific (Philippines)

Keywords:

art, beauty, symbolic knowledge, knowledge by connaturality

Abstract

Pope Benedict XVI claims that beauty is knowledge. This article seeks to understand this claim through Leonardo Polo’s theory of knowledge. Polo distinguishes between objective knowledge and symbolic knowledge. Beauty as knowledge would fall under symbolic knowledge. Polo lists five intellectual symbols, among which is deity. This is relevant as Benedict XVI claims specifically that artistic beauty may communicate knowledge of God. Finally, Polo identifies sentiments of the soul by which the person has inklings of both innate habits of the soul and extramental realities. It would seem possible to express these sentiments in musical rhythms, transforming a musical composition into a communication about God.

Published

2015-12-24

How to Cite

Dumol, P. A. (2015). Making Sense of the Claim that Beauty is Knowledge. Journal of Polian Studies, 2, 75–86. Retrieved from https://journal.leonardopoloinstitute.org/index.php/jpols/article/view/6957