What are the three main approaches to studying aesthetics?

In the study of aesthetics, philosophers have proposed three broad, primary approaches to understanding the field:1

1. The study of aesthetic concepts: This approach focuses on the analysis of the "language of criticism." It involves examining the logic and justification behind specific aesthetic judgments and the qualities denoted by terms such as representation, expression, form, style, and sentimentality.1
2. The philosophical study of states of mind: This approach investigates the responses, attitudes, and emotions involved in aesthetic experience. It seeks to identify the distinctive features of the aesthetic, such as the "disinterested" attitude described by Immanuel Kant, and relies on developments in philosophical psychology to understand how we perceive and value objects.1
3. The philosophical study of the aesthetic object: This approach centers on the existence of a special class of objects—most commonly works of art—toward which we react selectively. It explores the properties of these objects and the spiritual or formal content they possess, often leading to a close relationship between aesthetics and the philosophy of art.1

These three approaches may differ in emphasis or lead to incompatible results, and they are often considered in tandem to fully explore the nature of aesthetics.1