What is Art?

Catalog description

An introduction to philosophical questions about art and our relationships with art. What is art, and how do we interact with art? What do different art forms, such as music, painting, performance, and poetry, have in common, if anything? Must art be beautiful? What does it mean to have “good taste” when it comes to art? How do we interpret art? Is art merely “subjective”? Readings will be drawn from the history of art philosophy, and also contemporary art philosophy. Students will also study artworks that support or challenge theories about art.