noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
aesthetics; esthetics
Refers to the philosophical study of beauty and art, or to a set of principles concerning beauty and taste. Can also be used attributively with の.
彼は大学で美学を専攻している。
He is majoring in aesthetics at university.
He has his own personal aesthetic about how things should be done.
この建築には独特の美学が感じられる。
One can feel a unique aesthetic in this architecture.
彼女は大学で美学を専攻していた。
She majored in aesthetics at university.
Cutting corners goes against his personal aesthetic principles.
美学 covers the broad philosophy of beauty and taste, whereas 芸術論 refers more narrowly to theories or discourse about art itself.
美学 is the philosophical study of beauty and taste, while 美術 refers to the visual arts themselves (paintings, sculpture, etc.), so the two are easily confused because both contain 美.
Compound of 美 (beauty) and 学 (study, learning). A Meiji-era coinage as a translation for Western 'aesthetics'.