Unity and diversity

My view on Aristotle is a bit sketchy. His Psychology is what interests me. But he is not very clear when he defines things. We would not consider his views on the immortality of soul. But his thoughts on free will seem to be very unclear. In places he argues that we can’t be any different than we are. But then goes against his own argument by saying that we can select a suitable environment to better ourselves. Both go opposite ways.
Perhaps his thoughts on aesthetics are somewhat better. Some say that he discovered aesthetics as far as the west is concerned. He has some shrewd observations to offer to us. Artistic creation seeks to express the emotional content of our lives. It comes out of a desire for creativity.

Art to him is an imitation of reality. This definition has stood the test of times. But we now have a different notion of reality than he had in his times. Our reality has become subjective and is no more limited to an objective interpretation of stimuli. But yet in essence Aristotle was entirely right, whether interpreted objectively or subjectively artistic inspiration and out put remains an imitation of that which is perceived.

This is not to say that he did not realize the importance of the internal in the art. For he says somewhere that art should represent the inward significance of things. He correctly realized that the outward manifestations of things are of lesser importance than their inward reality.

He thought that the finest form of art should please the brain as well as the mind. He is totally against my notion of art. He went for form and unity in art. Any form of art should not have digressive elements in it. The plot should not be weakened by the introduction of useless and confusing sub plots. Well he can’t be blamed for his strict view on art. To him catharsis appeared as the paramount aim of art.

But in our times (or should I say confusing times) the art can not reflect reality in its entirety if it adheres to such strict narrative style. Our reality is variegated individualistic and unbelievably interpretive. An individual may experience different sorts of reality within a span of minutes. The same situation presents different sort of reality to different people.

A Black, a white, a Muslim, A Christian, a woman, A man an apostle of the NWO or a communist might be experiencing different sorts of reality at the same place. The same person might perceive different realities if the situation alters only slightly. A secular person caught up in a communal conflict might undergo a complete change of perception if the security of his near and dear is involved in the business.

But to Aristotle forming the first percepts of western aesthetics such concern may not have been immediately evident. It may be true that such multiple realities existed even in his times. But to his theory of catharsis unity of action was important. We may aim at the same by destroying the unity and infusing chaos into art now.
Aristotle had the Drama to form his opinions on art. Now we have dramas everywhere. Even news reports are not free from drama nowadays. I wonder what Aristotle would have done in our times.