What is Art?

Catalog description

How do we define art? What is its role and value for individuals and societies? Is the experience of art a pleasant diversion, an occasion for ethical cultivation, or something else entirely? Does art produce meaning and truth? Does it communicate ideas or emotions? By engaging a wide range of aesthetic theories, this seminar investigates the philosophical status of art, examines its historical and social situatedness, and asks questions about its significance for culture, politics, and everyday life.