The Sublime: A Study of Critical Theories in XVIII-Century England

"I think it’s a very helpful overview for people interested in eighteenth-century English theories of the sublime. It is, I admit, somewhat dated—though there was a second edition in 1960 –but it’s still widely cited. And despite it being limited to discussing a specific period, it’s still quite useful. So, in other words, this book by Monk has passed the test of time, if you’re looking for an overview. Besides my own Reader , I could also recommend The Sublime by Philip Shaw , there is a second edition from 2017. That’s from the perspective of literary theory, which is different from the philosophical approach, but I’d recommend it as well. Two main areas come to mind. The first is environmentalist aesthetics, even environmental ethics. I’d point you to Emily Brady’s book The Sublime in Modern Philosophy: Aesthetics, Ethics, and Nature . Kant’s examples paradigmatically come from nature, rather than art. So people interested in the natural environment really focus on that element. As an aside, I’ll say that it’s somewhat controversial whether Kant’s theory allows for the possibility of artistic sublimity. I myself think that it does, but people writing in environmental aesthetics tend to deny that. The other area is, of course, psychological. The various ways that this work is conducted tend to go back to Burke. As I mentioned, I’m interested in continuing to explore the sublime and awe with empirical psychologists. In one study, we looked at whether painting and natural scenery can evoke the sublime, and we found, using virtual reality goggles, that they do, although they do so in different ways. They’re both capable of eliciting it, but the natural scenery of a starry sky gives you more of a sense of being present, and also threatens the person a little more. Well, every time I see the Swiss Alps, or any other enormous mountain range, I do. I’m enthralled by such experiences. I’ve often wondered why that is. I grew up in Florida, where 300 feet counts as elevation, so maybe it’s filling in this gap in my own upbringing."