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stankovic, sasa thesis.pdf - Atrium - University of Guelph

stankovic, sasa thesis.pdf - Atrium - University of Guelph

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words, the imagination, in its pure freedom, is in agreement with the understanding in its non-<br />

specified legality” (KCP 48). That the faculty <strong>of</strong> the understanding is indeterminate means that<br />

the judgment ‘this is beautiful’ does not contain a determinate concept. “Each time a determinate<br />

concept (geometric shapes, biological species, rational ideas) intervenes, aesthetic judgment<br />

ceases to be pure at the same time that beauty ceases to be free” (KCP 48). But there is good<br />

reason for that. The faculty <strong>of</strong> understanding is generated as indeterminate in its agreement with<br />

the aptitude <strong>of</strong> nature to produce beautiful forms. “Through ‘reflection’ we may undoubtedly<br />

discover a concept which exists already, but reflective judgment will be all the purer for having<br />

no concept whatsoever for the thing which it freely reflects, or if the concept is (in a certain<br />

sense) enlarged, limitless, indeterminate” (KCP 60). In this sense, in the aesthetic judgment ‘this<br />

is beautiful’ the determined understanding does not legislate over objects that are subject to it. “It<br />

is not the existence <strong>of</strong> the represented object which counts, but the simple effect <strong>of</strong> a<br />

representation on me” (KCP 46). Instead, the object is too much for the understanding. “How is<br />

the genesis <strong>of</strong> the sense <strong>of</strong> beautiful presented? It seems that the free materials <strong>of</strong> nature –<br />

colours, sounds – do not relate simply to the determinate concepts <strong>of</strong> the understanding. They<br />

overwhelm the understanding, they ‘give food for thought’ much more that that which is<br />

contained in the concept” (KCP 54). What is this food that nature provides that makes the<br />

understanding grow?<br />

What overwhelms the understanding is the aptitude <strong>of</strong> nature to produce beautiful forms.<br />

If the imagination reflects this aptitude, Deleuze argues, “reason discovers the many<br />

presentations <strong>of</strong> its Ideas in sound, colour and free matter” (DI 65). In other words, the aptitude<br />

<strong>of</strong> nature to produce beautiful forms symbolizes the Ideas <strong>of</strong> reason such as the Idea <strong>of</strong> pure<br />

innocence. “The free materials <strong>of</strong> sensible nature symbolize the Ideas <strong>of</strong> reason; and in this way<br />

163

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