This article aims to explore R. W. Hepburn's natural aesthetics and its implications for aesthetic education. Hepburn is a pioneering figure in contemporary natural aesthetics, and his thought is deeply insightful, which can be summarized into five key aspects: 1.Emphasis on Rigorous Appreciation of Natural Beauty: A strict appreciation should incorporate both sensory and intellectual elements. Intellectual engagement can deepen aesthetic experience, while pure sensory experience alone cannot. 2.Balanced Appreciation of the Interplay between Nature and Culture. 3.Metaphysical Imagination. 4.Sublime and Awe-Inspiring Beauty: The experience of the sublime includes a sense of mystery and transcendence, akin to a feeling of wonder. 5.Conflict between Aesthetics and Ethics: Aesthetic experience is not always pure and may involve ethical considerations. For instance, the conflict between the beauty of a river valley and the construction of a reservoir presents a difficult issue of balance. Based on Hepburn’s natural aesthetics, five points can be derived for aesthetic education: 1.The Goal of Aesthetic Education: To cultivate students' ability to engage in rigorous aesthetic appreciation. 2.Teaching the Integration of Nature and Culture: Educate students on how to blend natural and cultural elements or how to humanize nature. 3.Fostering Metaphysical Imagination: Encourage students to develop their metaphysical imagination. 4.Deepening Appreciation of the Sublime: Teach students to reflect on deeper aspects of beauty, such as mystery, the sacred, the sublime, and wonder. 5.Examining Aesthetics and Environmental Ethics: Guide students in considering the relationship between aesthetics and environmental ethics.

Authors:
Chung-Ping Yang, National Changhua University of Education, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
I am currently an professor at Graduate Institute of Education, National Changhua University of Education.

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