Bell's Aesthetic Theory

Bell's attempt to launch a theory based on a relationship between two concepts which are defined in terms of each other and grounded in obscure language of peculiarity and mystery offers difficulty in applying it for the practical use of understand art. However, we can understand and modify Bell's theory to offer, if not a complete understanding of Aesthetic theory, but a different lens to view the role and function of art.

"The relations and Combinations of Line, Colors, etc.." is the basis for the Significant form with itself being grounded in mysterious and unknown forms. Although this vague statement can be widdled away into criticism we could alter our understanding of it.

 These mysterious and unknown forms can be thought of as the various life-long intersections of our environment, upbringing, and biology. They are in fact unknown because unless we live in a world like "The Truman Show" with Jim Carey, the data installed in us, assimilated by our similar but unique biology would be utterly incalculable to create a comprehensive model in which to understand the scientific implications of aesthetics with. Therefore, to a large extent, such forms are mysterious and unknown.

If we supplant this new understand of the Unknown and mysterious than we are in a better position to apply his Aesthetic Theory for genuine purposes.

Secondly though we must redefine "Peculiar" Feeling and I believe our new definition will render his theory practical in understanding Aesthetic Theory in general, not as a holistic comprehension of aesthetics, but a modified and useful perspective.

The peculiarity of the Aesthetic emotion says Bell is that it belongs to a state of "Aesthetic Exaltation" the peculiarity lies in the belief that the state and perception of significant form lies disposition-ally in a realm unto itself. The emotion is Peculiar because of its, if not to us innate, latent quality that, if we reach artistic sensibility, we will find from any real work of art.

The peculiarity that we can observe lies in the discombobulated fashion which are brains uses to assimilate our the entirety of of experience with the wholeness of the designated work of art.

like the unknown and mysterious forms, this peculiarity seems to be without the ability to quantify it. so it renders us unable to find a precising causal relationship between the object, our experience, and our emotion.
But when we take a modern approach to considering that there does exist such a connection we can understand how and why Bell came to these conclusions and his theory does not leave us without truth value.

Thus the peculiarity and mysterious form as simply earnest attempts to categorize and explain actual phenomena in terms grounded in obscurity, however, this obscurity is made clear when we revisit Bell's thought process with our enhanced understanding of the subject matter.