We don't have much to say about "sublime" these days. It seems to me that's because we are far from the experience:
1a : lofty, grand, or exalted in thought, expression, or manner. b : of outstanding spiritual, intellectual, or moral worth. c : tending to inspire awe usually because of elevated quality (as of beauty, nobility, or grandeur) or transcendent excellence.
Do a search on lofty - and there is very little - new word toplofty entered the English language in 2021.
Grand has been overtaken by versions of the best - the best things, favourite things, must-see things, etc and if one looks for Grandeur, these are Hyundai's most luxurious cars.
Look for exalted and one finds the exalted weapons of Warframe.
What happens with noble? One retrieves the Nobel Prize winners.
So where have I found sublime? in the field of philosophy, where the term sublime refers to something that is great. Wikipedia tells me: "This greatness can be physical, moral, intellectual, metaphysical, aesthetic, spiritual or artistic. Very often, the term refers to something that is so great that it cannot be calculated, measured or imitated. Special skills are often needed to fully perceive or understand the sublime."
Mountains seem to be examples of the sublime. Grosser Mythen in the Swiss Alps was referred to by British writers in the 17th and 18 centuries as sublime. This was the first time that objects of nature got this descriptor.
Has sublime gone out of favour now? I have to think so - it isn't in the current social culture as expressed by google searches. No TikTok dances, tweets or memes.. That goes for philosophy too. OK, maybe John Gray, with his 2020 book Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life.
Our picture today is Garden of the Gods in Colorado. I guess its name carries the sense of exalted, grandeur, and beauty. Were there any philosophers in the expedition to name it? Rusus Cable exclaimed this was “a fit place for the gods to assemble!” And so its name was given.
