Is our DNA “a sort of ghostly puppet master” (96) determining our aesthetical preferences?
I believe there is partial truth in the statement that DNA is “a sort of ghostly puppet master” in determining our aesthetical preferences. It seems both probable and reasonable that humans, to a degree, are predisposed to have certain preferences. The philosophy that our idiosyncratic tastes may have a biological basis is conveyed quite persuasively through Conniff’s explanation, pertaining to survival, of why humans prefer habits rich with water, large trees, open space, and distance views.
Additionally, in my opinion, art is uninhibited in that it isn’t only visual. Sounds, by avenue of music, and culinary arts, serving as a corridor to taste, can be forms of art so long as each stimulates a sense or evokes
an emotion. The notion that humans, without conditioning, are allured by smooth sounds of nature and are fond of the sweet taste of sugar further suggest that genetics plays a role in determining instinctive preferences.
While Conniff made convincing arguments that our aesthetical preferences are depicted by our genes, I believe that the environment also plays an instrumental role. In the struggle between nature and nurture, nurture must play an influential role in our preferences as it most appropriately explains the vast amount of variability among art that humans are fond of. Genetics at best provides a foundation for our unconscious preferences, while, consciously, our preferences are defined by experiences, environmental conditioning, and social norms. If biological components were the primary determinant of our preferences then it would seem likely that my three brothers and I would all be attracted to the same types of art, but in reality we each enjoy dissimilar music, wear different clothing, are pursuing unique career paths, and participate in different extracurricular activities. Based on my personal observations, the variation in preferences and individuality we seem among humans can’t be explained without a nurture aspect being factored into the notion that nature governs our preferences.
To read article, visit https://notes.utk.edu/bio/greenberg.nsf/0/f60081ef35fba95c85256e6e006a2a77.
Image Above: Joan Miro "In Woman and Bird in the Moonlight
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