Eighteenth-Century Notions of Taste: A Comparative Reading of Hume, Blair, and Burke

This paper explores eighteenth-century notions of aesthetic value in art as both innate and improvable, focusing on the influential writings of David Hume, Hugh Blair, and Edmund Burke. Hume's empiricist framework, which emphasizes sensory experience as the foundation of taste, significantly shaped Blair's more detailed examination of the concept. While Blair aligns with Hume's emphasis on subjective sensibility, his approach incorporates rationalist elements, suggesting that taste involves a balance between sensory perception and intellectual refinement. In contrast, Burke introduces a unique dimension by asserting the universality of taste, grounded in the uniformity of human sensory experiences. Hume's emphasis on sensory experience as the foundation of taste, Blair's blend of empirical and rationalist approaches, and Burke's focus on the universality of taste reveal the diversity of thought surrounding the concept. By comparing these perspectives, the study highlights the interplay between subjectivity and universality in shaping aesthetic judgment. This comparative reading not only provides a deeper understanding of the historical evolution of taste but also offers a foundation for engaging with broader philosophical and cultural debates on aesthetic value. Additionally, it invites further research into the contributions of other thinkers to the discourse on taste, emphasizing its relevance to contemporary aesthetic and intellectual inquiries.