Title: Descartes on the Perception of Aesthetic Properties
By Domenica Romagni (Colorado State University, Philosophy)
Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026
Time: 1530-1700
Room: Humanities Seminar Room (H-232)
Abstract: One topic in Descartes’ work that has remained relatively underexplored is his views on aesthetics. This is unsurprising, given that he seemingly dedicates little sustained discussion to what we would consider ‘aesthetics’ today, aside from his early Compendium Musicae. However, as I hope to show in this paper, Descartes dedicates a considerable amount of discussion of ‘aesthetic’ topics across his career. Consideration of his remarks in this capacity not only bring out an underappreciated aspect of Descartes’ work, but also helps to shed light on broader questions in Cartesian scholarship, and in early modern scholarship more generally.
About the speaker: Domenica Romagni is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Colorado State University. She earned her PhD at Princeton University and specializes in Early Modern philosophy, philosophy of music and aesthetics, and the history and philosophy of science, with additional interests in philosophy of mind. Her research focuses on philosophy of mind and perception in the 17th century, explanatory virtues and scientific theory-building in the Early Modern period, and musical perception. Dr. Romagni received a BA with a concentration in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University and a BM in cello performance from the Peabody Conservatory. Prior to her return to philosophy, she taught cello and worked as a freelance musician.
Organized by the Department of Philosophy