Understanding the nature of aesthetics requires careful experimentation and innovative ways to reveal essence and tease out aspects of aesthetics. What are key characteristics of an aesthetic sense of things? Are there common behavioral terms that standardize perceptions of art, enabling brain blood flow during mental activity to reveal neurocorrelates of aesthetic experiences?

How can art, the visual arts, take us beyond ourselves, generating a sense of awe and grandeur, opening up new ways of knowing and revealing new kinds of understanding? What is it about art that triggers the transcendent?

How can music, the auditory arts, take us beyond ourselves, generating a sense of awe and grandeur, opening up new ways of knowing and revealing new kinds of understanding? What is it about music that triggers the transcendent, and why are transcendent experiences more common in encounters with music than with visual arts?

Since ancient times, certain spaces have been deemed sacred, serving as holy places that religious believers believe provide clearer access to transcendent realms. What is it about these spaces (cathedrals, mosques, synagogues, temples) that are considered sacred? How does architecture engender transcendence?

Can understanding how the mind appreciates art give insight into how the mind works generally and broadly? What is it about art that it can penetrate mental barriers and reveal mental mechanics? How does art influence multiple cognitive and emotional processes? Art's diverse functions - communications, expression, social cohesion - tease out and reflect diverse mental faculties.