“How are the aesthetic arguments of Kant & Hegel relevant today, except as something to act against?"
I think the theories and arguments of art and aesthetics that Kant and Hegel discuss are still relevant today. Specifically, both theorists' belief that beauty and art are subjective to the viewer are still widely held. Questions like "what do you get from this work?" or "how do you interpret this painting/sculpture/photograph?" have been frequently asked in many art courses and museum visits I've been a part of.
Another aspect of Kant and Hegel's theories applicable today is the representation of nature or the Divine through art. I think this theory was probably more directly applicable during the theorists' times, when religious thought was more cohesive, and may have taken on a different application in today's more secular culture - but I can still see the influence of the theory today. Personally speaking, and as an atheist, I relate to this theory because I see beauty in the world and artistic expression as the closest thing to divinity or a deity in this world. I would argue that art has taken the place of religion in many people's experiences - which fits into Hegel's view that art is just another way to interpret divinity, much like philosophy or religion.
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