Conditions of Love and Beauty
Roger Scruton and John Armstrong are one of the most celebrated novelists. Their works have described numerous concepts concerning things that occur during the present time. John Armstrong, in his book, “Conditions of Love,” explains the need and importance of happiness as a result of being loved. The novel highlights how conditions of love and matters of the heart influence how an individual behaves towards love and intimacy. Roger Scruton, in his book “Beauty,” highlights that beauty can affect us in several ways; however, it is perceived with indifference. He also highlights the types of beauty and universal values. Individuals long to have love and beauty; however, despite the universal consensual, the language of love and beauty is misunderstood.
Roger Scruton is the author of the novel “Beauty.” A British documentary film inspired the novel in 2009. The discussion subject was beauty, how it matters and how it is viewed in the modern society. The inspiration that the author gained from the film brought the idea for the publishing of the book. Roger Scruton had the concept of discerning beauty in numerous categories, such as art, people, and nature. The idea was portrayed in his own image and he focused on the background of beauty where he came up with a novel. “If someone asks me, why are you interested in beauty? It is because it is simply beautiful” (Scruton 2). The author had a history of theories concerning beauty, and that is where the decision to air out more about beauty originated. The best way to highlight the aspects of beauty was through the publishing of the novel.
Roger Scruton was a great author with tremendous and respected literary works. He was born in Lincolnshire in 1944 to John and Beryl Scruton. He went to Jesus College, where he studied moral sciences and philosophy. The 1980s saw the rise of the writer since his works were gaining popularity rapidly. Scruton was a founding editor of the Salisbury Review journal, which became highly controversial. He became an outspoken hero in the field of writing because of his articles. The works he did were inspired by the beauty and how individuals judge the concept. He divorced his first wife, and according to the idea of beauty, things can always be compared and ranked according to their beauty. There is also minimal beauty n the lowest degree (Scruton 7). The writer was diagnosed with cancer, and after a short battle, he succumbed to the illness at the age of 75 years.
In his life, Scruton has authored numerous literary and artistic works. He was a founding member of the Consecutive Philosophy Group, which was created by Hugh Fraser. Scruton published his first book in 1974 titled “Art and Imagination,” based on his doctoral knowledge. The book highlighted philosophical problems faced by aesthetics in their activities. The philosopher has been able to author over fifty literary and artistic works in his lifetime. He based his literary works in art and imagination and he later shifted the focus to the field of music and beauty. “Central themes are imagination, aesthetic properties, double intentionality, understanding art, and the place of aesthetic experience in practical reasoning and the moral life” (Scruton 317). The prolific author was a great supporter of the communist party, which linked the country’s academics to other parts of the world. He supported education and the culture of reading by organizing for the provision of books and carrying out random lectures.
The novel “Beauty” received both positive and negative responses from around the world. In this novel, he discusses the theme of beauty, which is filled with insight. Scruton suggests that it is the nature of human reason to appreciate beauty. However John Updike who is an American Novelist has a different opinion which critiques the book. He suggested that the idea of beauty according to most individuals is connected to sexual selection. Scruton is among the philosophers who have discussed beauty in-depth, and his approach took Kant’s idea of beauty. “The idea is that experience of beauty reveals moral ideas to us, and thus we take a moral interest in the existence of beauty” (Küplen 117). Updike further suggests that the appreciation of beauty also requires interest and disinterest. An individual should be able to maintain a safe space between the self and the beautiful object or person. When the safe space is lost, beauty remains, but it turns out to be spoiled beauty.
The works of Roger Scruton showed an essential aspect in the history of literature and humanity. Scruton highlights beauty as a universal human need that gives meaning to life, which makes social life worthwhile. Beauty is highlighted in many literary works after Scruton showed its importance and how it affects individuals and society. The author states that he was confused by modern art in his environment, and that made him chose to see the beauty in things. Individuals who read articles and literary works have learned more about the importance of beauty, as shown by Scruton. According to Scruton, “Judgments of beauty are neither subjective nor arbitrary and are a necessary part of practical reasoning in any attempt to harmonize our activities and ways of life with those of our neighbors” (Scruton 9). Beauty has improved the perception of modern art.
The theme of beauty has been highlighted in many writings, and each artistic work shows the meaning and importance of beauty. The perception of beauty is also incorporated in music, which shows how the topic is of great importance. Numerous authors have discussed beauty, for example, “New Theory of Beauty” by Guy Sircello. This shows that beauty is an essential concept in the field of philosophy. Similar to Scruton’s works, Sircello suggests that beauty exists in nature, people art, and other unrelated objects. There is a sufficiently precise determinant that shows the beauty of an individual or an object. According to Sircello, the term beauty suggests that a beautiful property is considered beautiful, generally in any possible instance (Sircello 14). This shows the similarity between literary works that describe beauty.
John Armstrong is the author of a novel titled “Conditions of Love.” The historical background of the book aims at highlighting the love related theme in society. Love has developed primarily in the modern world. How individuals handled love in the past is quite different from how it is currently managed and administered. The history of love shows that there are various ways in how love is reciprocated, depending on the beliefs of a particular society. Love is an invention based on culture, and it is still in the process of evolving. Love leads to relationships that are either considered as positive or negative relations (Collins 65). Individuals are still in the process of learning more about love and how it should be interpreted.
John Armstrong, who is a British philosopher, was born in 1966. He studied at Oxford in London, where he later joined the London School of Advanced Study. He became a philosopher at Melbourne University, where he was able to develop his career well. His published articles have covered the topics of love, beauty, and art. He has become a renowned author due to his outstanding works, which he has produced. He is currently the head philosopher in The School of Life, and this achievement is due to his exemplary and exceptional works of art. Similar to Scruton, his works focus on aesthetics, education, and ethics (Armstrong 22). The author has used his skills and knowledge to highlight critical issues related to the field of love.
John Armstrong has successfully authored nine literary works. In his career as a philosopher, he has been able to climb the ranks of success gradually. Armstrong has had the privilege of leading artistic movements due to his knowledge of creative works. His publications, “Art as Therapy” and “How to Worry Less about Money,” have earned him a top seat in philosophical organizations and movements. His recent works have explained concepts of love in different manners which are understood by his audience. In his book “Conditions of Love,” Armstrong highlights love as a theme that affects most individuals as they try to understand their lives. The novel is a philosophical study on the law of love (Armstrong 5). The literary articles by Armstrong cover most themes in our society and how one can handle the challenges.
The attention of individuals globally was captured by the works of Armstrong. Individuals have received the novel with different opinions, mainly because people perceive love in different ways. According to Patrick Santiago, love is the necessary foundation of individuals who make themselves victims of their own will. He further states that love makes an individual eviler, which is not similar to what Armstrong suggests. Too much love destroys an individual, and it can lead to death. Love can be toxic or poisonous, and this leads to the decay of an individual in terms of their love life. Santiago states that” there can be many forms of love found in this world, love for fellow people, for God, for the country, for the self, love for excellence and love for someone special. A little understanding of this notion may be concretely grasped to see its multifaceted shapes” (Santiago 34). People are originally good, but love can make them chose unwise decisions.
The importance of love as a theme can be highlighted concerning the field of literature. Love provides a broad scope of discussions, and it also applies to the lives of individuals. People get a better understanding of the concept of love. The positive and negative sides are highlighted together with the different types of love. Love is portrayed in literary works, where emotions and different individuals have different thoughts on love. Valuable lessons can be learned through love, especially from the actions of those individuals who love each other. With many options available, individuals can learn how to handle love affairs, which are deteriorating (Perkus 32). Individuals can use the works of Armstrong as reference for their difficulties in love and relationships.
Literary works that have focused on love mostly have similar themes despite having different authors. For instance, the novel “Paradox of Love” highlights the concept of love and how individuals relate with each other. Similarly, Armstrong has discussed issues surrounding love and the problems associated with love. Love has a freedom which helps individuals to connect freely compared to those who do not have love relations. The author also states that love has to be rekindled by actions that seem special to the individuals involved. Sentiments and struggles face love affairs, but individuals find ways to solve their differences after the condemnation of passion (Bruckner 11). The themes in the novels are of similar content, and this broadens the discussion on love.
In conclusion, works of philosophy play an essential role in our lives. They serve education and entertainment purposes. Roger Scruton and John Armstrong have authored great literary works. The authors have highlighted the themes of love and beauty. The importance of Beauty and how different people perceive it serves as an essential aspect of the article. Love and how individuals practice the act of love has also been shown. Love is shown as the act of having emotional feelings towards an individual, nature, or a specific object. The works of the authors play a significant role in the field of philosophy.
Works Cited
Scruton, Roger. Beauty: A very short introduction. Vol. 262. Oxford University Press, 2011.
Scruton, Roger. “Working towards art.” The British Journal of Aesthetics 49.4 (2009): 317-325.
Küplen, Mojca. “Love for Natural Beauty as a Mark of a Good Soul: Kant on the Relation between Aesthetics and Morality.” IS A UNIVERSAL MORALITY POSSIBLE? (2015): 115.
Scruton, Roger. Beauty: A very short introduction. Vol. 262. Oxford University Press, 2011.
Scruton, Roger. “Why beauty matters.” The Monist 101.1 (2018): 9-16.
Sircello, Guy. New theory of beauty. Princeton University Press, 2015.
Collins, W. Andrew, and Manfred Van Dulmen. “The course of true love (s)….” Origins and pathways in the development of romantic relationships. In A. Booth, AC Crouter, & A. Snyder (Eds.), Romance and sex in adolescence and emerging adulthood: Risks and opportunities (2015): 63-86.
Armstrong, John. “The secret power of beauty.” (2004).
Armstrong, John. Conditions of love: The philosophy of intimacy. London: Penguin, 2002.
Santiago, Patrick Neil M. “On the Basis of Love: A Critical Analysis.” American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research 3: 34-40.
Perkus, Gerald H. “Meredith’s Unhappy Love Life: Worthy of the Muse.” Cithara 9.2 (1970): 32.
Bruckner, Pascal. The paradox of love. Princeton University Press, 2012.