Leshley's Library

Aesthetic Journeys: 2,500 Years of Beauty, Thought, and Innovation From the marble temples of ancient Greece to the immersive realms of virtual reality, this compact volume maps the relentless human quest to understand beauty. Tracing philosophy from Plato’s ideal Forms and Aristotle’s cathartic mimesis, through Kant’s “disinterested pleasure,” the Romantic sublime, modernist abstraction, and today’s AI‑generated art, the book reveals how each era reshapes the bridge between perception, emotion, and meaning. Enriched by AI‑assisted transcriptions of the author’s original lectures (available on YouTube and PeerTube) and translated into 28 languages, the text weaves together philosophy, neuroscience, cultural studies, and ethical inquiry. Readers will discover why a neural circuit lights up when a sunset moves us, how wabi‑sabi or Indian rasa reframes “beauty,” and what the rise of algorithmic creation means for authorship and authenticity. A perfect companion for teachers, creators, and curious minds, Aesthetic Journeys invites you to step onto a timeless bridge—where every footfall uncovers new perspectives on art, ethics, and the ever‑expanding horizon of human experience.