“Criticism is not an arbitrary judgment, but a judgment of reason.”Titu Maiorescu · Critice · 1874 · Critice (prefață)
Authentic criticism is a rational judgment, not an expression of personal taste.
Maiorescu advocates for objective criticism that applies clear principles instead of merely reflecting subjective impressions. A critic does not say 'I don't like it' but demonstrates why a work fails aesthetically. When an architect criticizes a building, they rely not on preferred colors but on proportions, functionality, and context. Reason is the foundation of critical judgment.
Why it matters It helps us better evaluate art, ideas, and decisions by separating opinion from argument.