# [[Creative Aspection]] and AI [[The concept]] of acts of aspection, as introduced by [[Allen Carlson]], provides a framework for understanding the specific perceptual and attentive activities we perform when appreciating art or nature. These activities are informed by our scientific and common-sense knowledge of [[what sort]] of object it is that we are appreciating. This paper examines how gardening and prompting generative AI function as creative acts of _aspection_, where engagement with a medium is actively shaped by knowledge and results in the creation of something new. ## 1. Acts of Aspection in Environmental Appreciation ### 1.1 Carlson's Concept of Acts of Aspection Carlson argues that acts of aspection involve specific perceptual activities guided by [[our understanding]] of what we are engaging with, enabling appropriate [[aesthetic appreciation]]: "In knowing the type we [[know what]] and how to appreciate. Generally speaking, a different act of aspection is performed in connection with works belonging to different schools of art, which is why the classification of style is of the essence" (Carlson, Chapter 4, p. 42). **He illustrates this with examples from art, showing how different styles demand different acts of aspection. For instance, appreciating a Tintoretto involves surveying balanced masses, while appreciating a Bosch requires scanning intricate details. [[Paul Ziff]] reinforces this idea: "Different actions are involved. Do you drink brandy in the way you drink beer?" (Carlson, Chapter 4, p. 41).** **Carlson extends this concept to the environment, applying [[the idea]] that our knowledge informs how we appreciate nature.** He provides examples of acts of aspection in different natural settings. For instance, appreciating a prairie requires surveying the open landscape, feeling the wind, and observing the subtle contours of the land—an act of aspection involving broad visual scanning and sensory engagement with openness (Carlson, Chapter 4, p. 50). In contrast, appreciating a dense forest necessitates close examination of details, attentive listening to subtle sounds, and smelling the scents of spruce and pine—an act of aspection involving detailed scrutiny and sensory focus on an intricate environment (Carlson, Chapter 4, p. 50). These acts are informed by our knowledge of the environment's characteristics, guiding us on what to focus on and how to engage. Carlson emphasises that both common-sense and [[scientific knowledge]] play crucial roles in informing these acts of aspection, highlighting specific features for appreciation and shaping our perceptual approach. Through understanding the environment's type, ecological systems, and elements, as well as common-sense knowledge such as how a prairie or forest is typically experienced, we can perform the appropriate acts of aspection, leading to a richer [[aesthetic experience]]. **### 1.2 Gardening as a Creative Act of Aspection** Gardening represents a distinct form of act of aspection that involves both perception and active engagement with the environment. Unlike the acts of aspection Carlson describes, which focus on appreciation without altering the environment, gardening includes [[the transformation]] of nature through cultivation. **This transformation is guided by the gardener's knowledge of plants, soil, and ecological interactions, which informs both their perceptual focus and physical actions.** For example, a gardener observes the growth patterns of plants, notices subtle changes indicating nutrient deficiencies, and anticipates how plants will mature and interact spatially. **These observations are not merely passive but are connected to deliberate actions that shape the garden's development. The gardener's engagement is thus a creative act of aspection, where perception and action are intertwined.** Carlson acknowledges that different environments require different acts of aspection informed by knowledge (Carlson, Chapter 4, p. 50). **Gardening extends this idea by demonstrating how knowledge not only guides perception but also informs creative interaction with the environment. The gardener's understanding of horticulture enables them to perform specific acts of aspection that both appreciate and modify the environment, leading to an enriched [[aesthetic experience]] that is both appreciative and productive.** By [[actively shaping]] the environment, gardeners engage in a process that enhances their appreciation of nature through creation. **This creative involvement allows them to experience the environment in a way that combines [[aesthetic appreciation]] with practical engagement, deepening their understanding of natural processes and their aesthetic manifestations. Gardening thus exemplifies a creative act of aspection that extends Carlson's framework by incorporating transformation alongside perception.** ## 2. Prompting Generative AI as a Creative Act of Aspection **Prompting generative AI can be conceptualized as a creative act of aspection. Just as gardening allows for a particular type of aspective act that enables the appreciation of nature, prompting generative AI enables a creative engagement with the AI system itself.** Users interact with the AI system by crafting prompts informed by their knowledge of language, art styles, and the AI's capabilities. This process involves specific perceptual and conceptual activities guided by understanding, much like the acts of aspection in gardening. **By engaging with the AI, users perform acts of aspection that focus their attention on how specific inputs influence outputs. This engagement is not solely about producing images or text but about appreciating the generative process of the AI system.** Just as gardeners use their knowledge to direct their engagement with the garden, prompters use their understanding to shape the AI's outputs. Both practices involve an active, creative engagement where knowledge informs both perception and creation, resulting in a dynamic interaction with the medium. In prompting generative AI, users perform acts of aspection by focusing their attention on how specific inputs influence the AI's outputs. They observe the effects of different prompt phrasings, styles, and references, developing an understanding of the system's latent space. This engagement requires knowledge of artistic concepts, styles, and the AI's mechanisms, guiding the user's perceptual and conceptual focus—much like how knowledge informs acts of aspection in art appreciation. A user familiar with Impressionism, for example, might craft prompts referencing Monet to elicit certain aesthetic qualities, understanding that the AI interprets such references based on its training data. This specialized knowledge informs the user's acts of aspection, directing attention to how the AI interprets and represents artistic elements. **Just as gardening involves a creative act of aspection that leads to an appreciation of nature, prompting generative AI involves a creative act of aspection that leads to an appreciation of the AI system itself. By shaping the outputs through informed prompts, users deepen their understanding and appreciation of the AI's generative capabilities. The user's engagement becomes an exploration of the medium's potential, guided by knowledge and active participation, which parallels the gardener's interaction with the garden ecosystem.** The creative aspect of AI prompting distinguishes it from traditional acts of aspection in several ways. Users actively shape the outputs through their inputs, paralleling the creative acts of aspection in gardening and art creation. This contrasts with the acts of aspection Carlson describes for nature appreciation, where the observer does not alter the environment. In AI prompting, users engage in a dialogue with the system, influencing its generative process through their knowledge and choices. The act of crafting prompts becomes a method of exploring and appreciating the medium, guided by specialized knowledge similar to that used in art creation and appreciation. This creative engagement deepens the user's perception of the AI's potential for creative expression, enriching their aesthetic experience. **Applying Carlson's concept of acts of aspection to AI prompting extends his framework into the digital realm. Understanding the AI system's nature and capabilities informs the user's acts of aspection, guiding their engagement. By performing creative acts of aspection through prompting, users not only produce new outputs but also appreciate the AI system as a generative medium. This parallels Carlson's emphasis on the role of knowledge in informing acts of aspection, highlighting how understanding the medium shapes the aesthetic experience.** ## 3. Comparing Acts of Aspection in Art, Gardening, and Generative AI In discussing appreciation in art, gardening, and AI prompting, the term 'medium' better captures the essence of what is engaged with, as it encompasses the materials, tools, and processes involved. Carlson emphasizes appreciating nature "as nature," focusing on its inherent qualities and processes (Carlson, Chapter 1, p. 12). Similarly, in AI prompting and gardening, the 'medium' includes the materials and processes through which creative expression is realized. A painter performs acts of aspection through a deep engagement with their medium—paints, brushes, canvas—and the physical properties of these materials. The painter gains understanding of how materials behave, how colors blend, and how brushstrokes affect the canvas, akin to a gardener learning how plants respond to different conditions. This experiential knowledge guides the painter's creative process, allowing them to anticipate outcomes and adjust techniques accordingly. Like the gardener, the painter's acts of aspection involve both perception and creation, informed by practical, hands-on experience. However, the painter may not be appreciating an external 'medium' in the same way the gardener or AI prompter does, as the materials are tools for expressing an internal vision rather than elements of an independent environment. Gardeners engage with a living medium—the garden ecosystem—that responds autonomously to their actions. Their creative acts of aspection involve understanding and appreciating the garden's natural processes, such as growth, adaptation, and ecological interactions. The gardener learns from the garden's responses, gaining practical knowledge that guides future actions. This reciprocal relationship allows the gardener to appreciate the medium itself as an active participant in the creative process. AI prompters interact with a digital medium that generates outputs based on their inputs, displaying emergent behaviors not entirely predictable. Their acts of aspection involve understanding how the AI processes prompts and appreciating the medium's capabilities and limitations. Like the gardener, the prompter learns from the AI's responses, refining their prompts to achieve desired results. The AI serves as a medium that both influences and is influenced by the user's creative acts, enabling appreciation of its generative processes. These three domains—art creation, gardening, and AI prompting—share several fundamental similarities while maintaining distinct characteristics. All three involve creative acts of aspection that blend perception and creation, with practitioners gaining practical knowledge through direct interaction with their medium. The creative process in each domain is informed by understanding how the medium responds to their actions. However, significant differences exist in how these interactions manifest. In art creation, particularly painting, the medium remains inert and fully controlled by the artist, with knowledge being largely practical and skill-based, developed through hands-on experience. The appreciation focuses primarily on the artwork as an expression of the artist's internal vision. Gardening presents a different paradigm, where the medium exists as a living, dynamic environment with autonomous processes. Knowledge in this domain includes both practical experience and an understanding of natural processes, with appreciation extending to the garden's intrinsic qualities and its responses to cultivation. AI prompting introduces yet another dimension, where the medium functions as a responsive digital system with complex, emergent behaviors. Knowledge in this context combines practical interaction with specialized understanding of art history and AI mechanics, leading to appreciation that encompasses both the outputs and the generative processes of the AI. The types of knowledge required in each domain reflect these distinctions. Practical knowledge, developed through hands-on experience and skill refinement, proves essential in both painting and gardening, while AI prompting relies more heavily on knowledge acquired through iterative experimentation with the system. Theoretical knowledge varies in importance across domains—in painting, it may include art theory but remains secondary to practical skill; in gardening, scientific understanding of botany and ecology can enhance practice but is not always necessary; in AI prompting, specialized knowledge of art history, styles, and AI functionalities becomes crucial for effective system guidance. The engagement with medium manifests differently across these domains as well. Painters engage with physical materials to realize an internal vision, while gardeners collaborate with a living environment, balancing control and autonomy. AI prompters, in turn, interact with a digital system that interprets inputs to generate outputs. These distinctions influence how practitioners in each domain appreciate their creative process. Painters appreciate the emerging artwork as it aligns with their vision, gardeners appreciate the garden's development and natural processes, and AI prompters appreciate both the creative possibilities and the AI's generative process. ## Conclusion Gardening and prompting generative AI both function as creative acts of aspection involving informed, purposeful engagement with a responsive medium, paralleling but also differing from processes in art creation and appreciation. These practices extend Carlson's concept of acts of aspection by incorporating creation alongside perception and by appreciating the medium itself through creative engagement. The comparison highlights the role of different types of knowledge—practical skills for painters and gardeners, specialized theoretical knowledge for AI prompters—in shaping acts of aspection across different domains. Recognizing these distinctions emphasizes understanding the medium in performing appropriate acts of aspection and suggests that creative engagement with a responsive medium enhances aesthetic appreciation. Further exploration of these parallels could illuminate how knowledge, creativity, and medium appreciation interplay to shape aesthetic experiences across diverse contexts. # Pre style guide version The concept of acts of aspection, as introduced by Allen Carlson, provides a framework for understanding the specific perceptual and attentive activities we perform when appreciating art or nature. These activities are informed by our out scientific and common sense knowledge of what sort of object it is that we are appreciating. This paper examines how gardening and prompting generative AI function as creative acts of _aspection_, where engagement with a medium is actively shaped by knowledge and results in the creation of something new. ## 1. Acts of Aspection in Environmental Appreciation Carlson argues that acts of aspection involve specific perceptual activities guided by our understanding of what we are engaging with, enabling appropriate aesthetic appreciation: "In knowing the type we know what and how to appreciate. Generally speaking, a different act of aspection is performed in connection with works belonging to different schools of art, which is why the classification of style is of the essence" (Chapter 4, p. 42). %%the next sentence jumps too quickly from art to the environment, make it clear that Carlson is showing how this idea, which originated in terms of works of art, can be applied to the environment. Give examples of acts of aspection in art as well. basically treat both with the same level of detail and precision.%% This understanding presents itself in various ways depending on the environment being appreciated. For instance, appreciating a prairie requires surveying the open landscape, feeling the wind, and observing the subtle contours of the land—an act of aspection involving broad visual scanning and sensory engagement with openness. In contrast, appreciating a dense forest necessitates close examination of details, attentive listening to subtle sounds, and smelling the scents of spruce and pine—an act of aspection involving detailed scrutiny and sensory focus on an intricate environment (Carlson p. XXX). These acts are informed by our knowledge of the environment's characteristics, guiding us on what to focus on and how to engage. Carlson emphasises that both common-sense and scientific knowledge play crucial roles in informing these acts of aspection, highlighting specific features for appreciation and shaping our perceptual approach. Through understanding the environment's type, ecological systems, and elements, as well as common sense knowledge such as how a prairie or forest is typically experienced, we can perform the appropriate acts of aspection, leading to a richer aesthetic experience. Gardening represents a distinct form of act of aspection, one that involves specific perceptual and physical activities guided by the gardener's knowledge and understanding of plants and horticulture. Like the acts of aspection Carlson describes, gardening requires knowledge of the nature, boundaries, and significant features of the garden environment. The gardener's understanding of plant species, soil conditions, and ecological interactions informs their perceptual focus and physical actions. For instance, a gardener might carefully observe the growth patterns of plants, notice subtle changes indicating nutrient deficiencies, or anticipate how plants will mature and interact spatially. Unlike the acts of aspection Carlson mentions for nature appreciation, which are primarily about perception, %%is this correct? close read the carlson paper to make sure he is clear that they are inherently perceptual%% gardening constitutes a creative act of aspection—it not only involves observing but also actively shaping the environment. %%if you want to put this quote in, it should come earlier. as it is a general statement about acts of aspection and this paragraph is only talking about a later subject: the idea that gardening is a *creative* act of aspection. the beer example has nothing to do with this aspect of the theory%% Paul Ziff illustrates this distinction through his observation about the variety of acts of aspection: "Different actions are involved. Do you drink brandy in the way you drink beer?" (Chapter 4, p. 41). Similarly, gardening demands a different act of aspection than merely appreciating a natural landscape. This creative aspect distinguishes gardening from the acts of aspection Carlson mentions for nature, which focus on appreciation without altering the environment. %%remove the next sentence and replace it with more development of the idea that growing a garden is a *Particular way* of appreciating nature.%% Through* this lens, gardening exemplifies a creative act of aspection where knowledge guides both perception and the creative process, leading to an enriched aesthetic experience that is both appreciative and productive. ## 2. Prompting Generative AI as a Creative Act of Aspection %%In this section we will say that prompting in midjourney etc. can be thought of as a creative act of aspection, and that just as gardening allows for a particular type of aspective act which allows the appreciation of nature, so to does prompting generative ai a creative aspective act, and thereby a way of appreciating the generative ai system itself. The whole section should be reocnfigured around this idea. It is the key thing to ARGUE (not sloganeer) for, and add RELEVANT philosophical details to (that is details which build upon or are closely related to the other arguments that are made in the text)%% Generative AI systems, such as Midjourney or Udio, present another manifestation of creative acts of aspection, one that parallels gardening in several significant ways. Users engage with the AI system by crafting prompts informed by their knowledge of language, art styles, and the AI's capabilities. This process involves specific perceptual and conceptual activities guided by understanding, much like the acts of aspection in gardening. Just as gardeners use their knowledge to direct their engagement with the garden, prompters use their understanding to shape the AI's outputs. Both practices involve an active, creative engagement where knowledge informs both perception and creation, resulting in a dynamic interaction with the medium. In prompting generative AI, users perform acts of aspection by focusing their attention on how specific inputs influence the AI's outputs. They observe the effects of different prompt phrasings, styles, and references, developing an understanding of the system's latent space. This engagement requires knowledge of artistic concepts, styles, and the AI's mechanisms, guiding the user's perceptual and conceptual focus—much like how knowledge informs acts of aspection in art appreciation. A user familiar with Impressionism, for example, might craft prompts referencing Monet to elicit certain aesthetic qualities, understanding that the AI interprets such references based on its training data. This specialised knowledge informs the user's acts of aspection, directing attention to how the AI interprets and represents artistic elements. The creative aspect of AI prompting distinguishes it from traditional acts of aspection in several important ways. Users actively shape the outputs through their inputs, paralleling the creative acts of aspection in gardening and art creation. This contrasts with the more passive acts of aspection Carlson describes for nature appreciation, where the observer does not alter the environment. In AI prompting, users engage in a dialogue with the system, influencing its generative process through their knowledge and choices. The act of crafting prompts becomes a method of exploring and appreciating the medium, guided by specialised knowledge similar to that used in art creation and appreciation. This creative engagement deepens the user's perception of the AI's potential for creative expression, enriching their aesthetic experience. Applying Carlson's concept of acts of aspection to AI prompting extends his framework into the digital realm in meaningful ways. Just as Carlson argues that "in knowing the type we know what and how to appreciate" (Chapter 4, p. 42), users of generative AI must understand the nature of the AI system to engage appropriately. The knowledge of art history and AI mechanics informs the acts of aspection, guiding the user's engagement. This demonstrates that acts of aspection are not limited to natural environments but can apply to interactive technological mediums where knowledge shapes perception and creation. ## 3. Comparing Acts of Aspection in Art, Gardening, and Generative AI In discussing appreciation in art, gardening, and AI prompting, the term 'medium' better captures the essence of what is engaged with, as it encompasses the materials, tools, and processes involved. Carlson emphasises appreciating nature "as nature," focusing on its inherent qualities and processes (Chapter 1, p. 12). Similarly, in AI prompting and gardening, the 'medium' includes the materials and processes through which creative expression is realised. A painter performs acts of aspection through a deep engagement with their medium—paints, brushes, canvas—and the physical properties of these materials. The painter gains understanding of how materials behave, how colours blend, and how brushstrokes affect the canvas, akin to a gardener learning how plants respond to different conditions. This experiential knowledge guides the painter's creative process, allowing them to anticipate outcomes and adjust techniques accordingly. Like the gardener, the painter's acts of aspection involve both perception and creation, informed by practical, hands-on experience. However, the painter may not be appreciating an external 'medium' in the same way the gardener or AI prompter does, as the materials are tools for expressing an internal vision rather than elements of an independent environment. Gardeners engage with a living medium—the garden ecosystem—that responds autonomously to their actions. Their creative acts of aspection involve understanding and appreciating the garden's natural processes, such as growth, adaptation, and ecological interactions. The gardener learns from the garden's responses, gaining practical knowledge that guides future actions. This reciprocal relationship allows the gardener to appreciate the medium itself as an active participant in the creative process. AI prompters interact with a digital medium that generates outputs based on their inputs, displaying emergent behaviours not entirely predictable. Their acts of aspection involve understanding how the AI processes prompts and appreciating the medium's capabilities and limitations. Like the gardener, the prompter learns from the AI's responses, refining their prompts to achieve desired results. The AI serves as a medium that both influences and is influenced by the user's creative acts, enabling appreciation of its generative processes. These three domains—art creation, gardening, and AI prompting—share several fundamental similarities while maintaining distinct characteristics. All three involve creative acts of aspection that blend perception and creation, with practitioners gaining practical knowledge through direct interaction with their medium. The creative process in each domain is informed by understanding how the medium responds to their actions. However, significant differences exist in how these interactions manifest. In art creation, particularly painting, the medium remains inert and fully controlled by the artist, with knowledge being largely practical and skill-based, developed through hands-on experience. The appreciation focuses primarily on the artwork as an expression of the artist's internal vision. Gardening presents a different paradigm, where the medium exists as a living, dynamic environment with autonomous processes. Knowledge in this domain includes both practical experience and an understanding of natural processes, with appreciation extending to the garden's intrinsic qualities and its responses to cultivation. AI prompting introduces yet another dimension, where the medium functions as a responsive digital system with complex, emergent behaviours. Knowledge in this context combines practical interaction with specialised understanding of art history and AI mechanics, leading to appreciation that encompasses both the outputs and the generative processes of the AI. The types of knowledge required in each domain reflect these distinctions. Practical knowledge, developed through hands-on experience and skill refinement, proves essential in both painting and gardening, while AI prompting relies more heavily on knowledge acquired through iterative experimentation with the system. Theoretical knowledge varies in importance across domains—in painting, it may include art theory but remains secondary to practical skill; in gardening, scientific understanding of botany and ecology can enhance practice but is not always necessary; in AI prompting, specialised knowledge of art history, styles, and AI functionalities becomes crucial for effective system guidance. The engagement with medium manifests differently across these domains as well. Painters engage with physical materials to realise an internal vision, while gardeners collaborate with a living environment, balancing control and autonomy. AI prompters, in turn, interact with a digital system that interprets inputs to generate outputs. These distinctions influence how practitioners in each domain appreciate their creative process. Painters appreciate the emerging artwork as it aligns with their vision, gardeners appreciate the garden's development and natural processes, and AI prompters appreciate both the creative possibilities and the AI's generative process. ## Conclusion Gardening and prompting generative AI both function as creative acts of aspection involving informed, purposeful engagement with a responsive medium, paralleling but also differing from processes in art creation and appreciation. These practices extend Carlson's concept of acts of aspection by incorporating creation alongside perception and by appreciating the medium itself through creative engagement. The comparison highlights the central role of different types of knowledge—practical skills for painters and gardeners, specialised theoretical knowledge for AI prompters—in shaping acts of aspection across different domains. Recognising these distinctions emphasises the importance of understanding the medium in performing appropriate acts of aspection and suggests that creative engagement with a responsive medium enhances aesthetic appreciation. Further exploration of these parallels could illuminate how knowledge, creativity, and medium appreciation interplay to shape aesthetic experiences across diverse contexts.