I'm posting this in the philosophy forum because, well, aesthetics is a branch of philosophy and art serves a very important cognitive function. It makes abstract principles available to us on the perceptual level and can serve as fuel for the soul. I've had the experience several times after watching a great play or movie of being invigorated and renewed.
Recently I read a book that gave me this experience in spades. I tend to be drawn to romantic fiction and this book is an excellent example.
It's called The Martian and is a fictional story about a mission to Mars that suffers a disaster and the crew must abort the mission or face certain death. One of the members is injured and gets left behind, the crew believing that he is dead. Well he isn't and the story is all about him attempting to survive for a year and a half on Mars alone. This is a man who wants to live! He's not ready to die and it takes the best within him to persevere.
From start to finish the book is a celebration of man's mind and his spirit. I love it because it portrays man as a heroic being. I love the sense of life that the author portrays through the main character and many of the other characters. During the course of the book I fell in love with the main character and I think you will too. The book is full of spine tingling excitement, nail biting dilemmas and moments that will make you stand up and cheer.
The book is chock full of themes from my own philosophy. Man's mind as his basic tool of survival. The efficacy of reason and a can do sense of life. It could have been written by an Objectivist. Who knows, maybe it was. I know this Objectivist loved it and highly recommends it. The Martian by Andy Weir. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll bite your fingers down to nubs and You'll be inspired.
Recently I read a book that gave me this experience in spades. I tend to be drawn to romantic fiction and this book is an excellent example.
It's called The Martian and is a fictional story about a mission to Mars that suffers a disaster and the crew must abort the mission or face certain death. One of the members is injured and gets left behind, the crew believing that he is dead. Well he isn't and the story is all about him attempting to survive for a year and a half on Mars alone. This is a man who wants to live! He's not ready to die and it takes the best within him to persevere.
From start to finish the book is a celebration of man's mind and his spirit. I love it because it portrays man as a heroic being. I love the sense of life that the author portrays through the main character and many of the other characters. During the course of the book I fell in love with the main character and I think you will too. The book is full of spine tingling excitement, nail biting dilemmas and moments that will make you stand up and cheer.
The book is chock full of themes from my own philosophy. Man's mind as his basic tool of survival. The efficacy of reason and a can do sense of life. It could have been written by an Objectivist. Who knows, maybe it was. I know this Objectivist loved it and highly recommends it. The Martian by Andy Weir. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll bite your fingers down to nubs and You'll be inspired.
