In this cutting-edge collection, scholars working in the fields of philosophical aesthetics, religious and theological aesthetics, and empirical and neuroaesthetics come together to investigate aesthetic cognitivism, a theory about the value of the arts. According to this theory, art isn't merely a source of delight, amusement, pleasure, or emotional catharsis; rather, art can be a source of knowledge and understanding.
To test the theory, the authors address a range of complex questions, such as:

• Is there an empirically demonstrable connection between art and understanding vis à vis spiritual reality?
• What distinctive cognitive value does engagement with art generate?
• How does participation in artistic activities stimulate spiritual understanding and growth?
• If art's primary function is to facilitate understanding, then what is the role of beauty? Is it an unrelated aim, or is it essential to understanding?
• What advantages, if any, does beautiful art have over non-beautiful art with reference to understanding?