Non-equilibrium Phenomenological Theory of Art
Abstract
We propose a phenomenological theory of artistic emotion in which “being moved” is not described causally but relationally. Emotion is formulated as a non-equilibrium quantity arising from the simultaneous breakdown of stimulus equilibrium and emotional equilibrium. The theory naturally distinguishes situations in which stimuli exist without emotion and situations in which emotional balance suppresses affect despite nonzero stimuli. This frame- work provides a unified description of habituation, delayed evaluation, critical reception, and cultural decay.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Aesthetic Perception and Analysis
Art
Aesthetics
and Perception
Ethics
and Art
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 16 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Preprint