Discussion: "Is there good and bad taste - or is it all subjective?"
Details
Is there an objective standard of good aesthetic taste? Or is it just a matter of subjective preferences? Can those preferences be authentic, or are they shaped by social pressures and imitation?
In this session of Marginal Thoughts, we will explore whether aesthetic taste can be evaluated or whether it remains irreducibly subjective. Before challenging the maxim that there is “no accounting for taste”, we will engage with the view of the philosopher David Hume by watching a short video and - ideally - reading his essay on the topic:
- Short video by Dr. Elie Anderson, summarizing Hume's essay (~11 min)
- Optional but highly recommended: Hume's essay "The Standard of Taste" in either the version lightly edited for accessibility or in its original version (~45 min)
Here we will see Hume not only account for taste, but give a 5-point checklist of what a good judge of taste must possess. Could it really be so simple?!
How to prepare
Watching the video would be the minimal preparation, whereas additionally reading the essay is ideal but can be skipped in a pinch. As you engage with the material, try to identify at least one point of curiosity, confusion, or uncertainty - these will be natural starting points for our discussion.
What to expect
This is an in-person, conversational meetup in English. The goal isn't to debate or lecture - it’s to explore ideas and leave with better questions than we arrived with.