Título: Alan Watts
Seção: Applied aesthetics
Background: Alan Wilson Watts (6 January 1915 - 16 November 1973) was a British philosopher, writer, and speaker, best known as an interpreter and populariser of Eastern philosophy for a Western audience. Born in Chislehurst, England, he moved to the United States in 1938 and began Zen training in New York. Pursuing a career, he attended Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, where he received a master's degree in theology. Watts became an Episcopal priest in 1945, then left the ministry in 1950 and moved to California, where he joined the faculty of the American Academy of Asian Studies.

Conteúdo: Watts sometimes alluded to a group of neighbors in Druid Heights (near Mill Valley, California) who had endeavored to combine architecture, gardening, and carpentry skills to make a beautiful and comfortable life for themselves. These neighbors accomplished this by relying on their own talents and using their own hands, as they lived in what has been called "shared bohemian poverty". Druid Heights was founded by the writer Elsa Gidlow, and Watts dedicated his book The Joyous Cosmology to the people of this neighborhood. He later dedicated his autobiography to Elsa Gidlow, for whom he held a great affection.  Regarding his intentions, Watts attempted to lessen the alienation that accompanies the experience of being human that he felt plagued the modern Westerner, and (like his fellow British expatriate and friend, Aldous Huxley) to lessen the ill will that was an unintentional by-product of alienation from the natural world. He felt such teaching could improve the world, at least to a degree. He also articulated the possibilities for greater incorporation of aesthetics (for example: better architecture, more art, more fine cuisine) in American life. In his autobiography he wrote, "... cultural renewal comes about when highly differentiated cultures mix".  In his last novel, Island (1962), Aldous Huxley mentions the religious practice of maithuna as being something like what Roman Catholics call "coitus reservatus". A few years before, Watts had discussed the theme in his own b

user: What are applied aesthetics?

assistant: greater incorporation of aesthetics (for example: better architecture, more art, more fine cuisine) in American life.

user: And what was Watts' feelings on applied aesthetics?

assistant: He felt such teaching could improve the world,

user: Is there any interesting information?

assistant: Watts sometimes alluded to a group of neighbors in Druid Heights (near Mill Valley, California)

user: Why did he allude to this group in Druid Heights?

assistant: who had endeavored to combine architecture, gardening, and carpentry skills to make a beautiful and comfortable life for themselves.

user: Did he live with them?

assistant: Watts dedicated his book The Joyous Cosmology to the people of this neighborhood.

user: What influenced his view on aesthetics?

assistant: In his autobiography he wrote, "... cultural renewal comes about when highly differentiated cultures mix".

user: Anything else?

assistant: In his last novel, Island (1962), Aldous Huxley mentions the religious practice of maithuna as being something like what Roman Catholics call "coitus reservatus".

user: What does 'coitus reservatus' mean?

assistant: the religious practice of maithuna