Beauty and Sublimity

: an assessment of an argument for a transmundane reality

Abstract

The thesis explores the possibility of using the beauty of the natural world as one strand in an argument for the existence of a transmundane reality. I begin by looking at ordinary beauty experiences, with a particular focus on the work of Tennant. I argue that beauty can be felt through all of our senses. I consider counterarguments, such as the problem of ugliness and the fact that not all individuals find the same things beautiful. In Part Two, I delve into special or unusual beauty experiences and find that these provide useful evidence for my overall argument. I conclude that beauty is indeed good evidence for a transmundane reality, but cannot reveal much about the nature of that transmundane reality.

Date of Award	4 Feb 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	David Leech (Supervisor)