Aesthetic Rhythms

Rhythms are everywhere, both within and outside ourselves. Exploring the reciprocal interactions between these external and internal energy patterns means advancing our understanding of how we relate to the world. Aesthetic Rhythms is an interdisciplinary work that addresses the role of different aspects of rhythm – repetition, form, coordination, and energy – and notions such as entrainment and attunement in artistic and everyday aesthetic experiences, from dancing with other people to playing videogames, watching films or just strolling through an unknown city. Vara Sánchez discusses theories from different philosophical traditions, with particular emphasis on John Dewey’s pragmatist aesthetics, and empirical studies concerning the dynamics of our engagement with the environment. Building upon this framework, he offers an enactive account of the progressive emergence of the aesthetic from general experience.