Intersections of Mathematical, Cognitive, and Aesthetic Theories of Mind

New mathematical and cognitive theories of the mind are connected to psychological theories of aesthetics. I briefly summarize recent revolutionary advancements toward understanding the mind, due to new methods of neuroimaging studies of the brain and new mathematical theories modeling the brain-mind. These new theories describe abilities for concepts, emotions, instincts, imagination, adaptation, and learning. I consider the operation of these mechanisms in the mind hierarchy. I concentrate on the emotions of satisfaction or dissatisfaction related to understanding or misunderstanding of the surrounding world. These emotions are usually below the threshold of conscious registration at lower levels (of object perception). I discuss why, and in what sense, these emotions are aesthetic, I relate them to appraisal emotions, and I argue that at higher levels of abstract cognition these emotions are related to the perception of art. The contents of cognitive representations at the top of the mind hierarchy are analyzed, and aesthetic appraisal emotions at these highest levels are related to emotions of the beautiful. I emphasize that aesthetic emotions, so important in art, are not specific to art but to cognition at the highest levels of the mind hierarchy.