The Reproducibility of Taste

Abstract

When Immanuel Kant bought himself a house in Königsberg in 1787, he offered his friends open house for lunch at any time. In the Anthology from a Pragmatic Point of View, the philosopher discusses the beautiful and the sublime, but also mentions hostly responsibilities: “There is no situation where sensuality and reason, enjoyed conjointly, can be so long continued and so often repeated with satisfaction — like a good meal in good company. (...) The aesthetic taste of the host is manifest here in the skill of making universally valid choices; but he cannot effect this through his own senses.” Since different dishes please different palates, the host must invest in variety, so that “there is something for everyone according to his taste; which results in comparative general validity”.1 This comparative general validity requires careful choice; reason must accompany taste. While every guest is entitled to argue against another’s opinion, they must all agree to the effect that they are enjoying a good meal and conducting an interesting conversation. A conversation where everyone agreed about everything would be boring, while an argument between two people who have nothing in common would merely degenerate into a cacophony of egoistic positions.