美育在文化建設中的功能

人類與其他動物本質上的差異，據謝勒(Max Scheler)以為，並不在於智力，而在於精神。透過智力，人類與其他動物只有程度上的區別，唯獨精神才足以彰顯人類獨特的本質。教育活動之所以為人類獨具之活動，亦宜由人類獨具之精神的本質來加以考察，才能理解教育之深刻含義。

Through a theoretical analysis of the fundamental concepts in aesthetic education， this paper attempts to delineate the role of aesthetic education in the promotion of cultural development.Scrutinizing different points of view on aesthetic and art education， this paper confirms that， despite their variety of meanings and aims， aesthetic education and art education end in the cultivation of integrated personality and the elevation of human spirituality.Cultural significance of aesthetic education is discussed through the analysis of aesthetic experience and the essence of art in the third and forth part of the paper. Aesthetic experience， as experience of the disinterested and sympathetic contemplation and attention to any object whatever one may meet， springs out of the inner dynamic spiritual power. From such a standpoint aesthetic education functions as main impetus of cultural development and therefore can improve the standard of high culture in order to avoid the vulgarization of it.As regard the art education， viewing from its creative dimension it’s helpful to the innovation of the refined culture， from its appreciative dimension， it aids the harmonieus development of all the aspect of the culture， from its technical dimension it improves the material and tool culture.Finally， in order to meet the needs of the cultural development project in this country， aesthetic education must take it as serious task to maintain and improve the level of high culture， popular culture and folk culture. Emphasis must also be put on the cultivation of aesthetic statesman for the purpose of providing enough far-sighted personnel in making and carrying out the overall prospective culture policy.