aesthetics

Edmund Burke’s theory of the sublime and the beautiful explains human nature through two fundamental drives: self-preservation and sociability. From these arise the core emotions of fear and love, which form the structural balance of the human soul. When fear (the sublime) and love (the beautiful) fall out of equilibrium, inner distortion occurs—a pattern visible in today’s widespread anxiety, emotional instability, and identity confusion. Burke’s aesthetics offers more than an artistic theory; it provides a philosophical framework for restoring inner harmony and rebuilding a healthier, more grounded self in the modern world.