What is Art For?

Catalog description

The question of beauty and the value of art has been asked in every age. Philosophers in the western tradition have asked how the beauty of art and the desire that it awakens leads to happiness, with some proposing that it is a path to all that is true and good in life. The class will examine this by engage three significant thinkers: Plato, Kant, and Heidegger. Students will take the ideas of the philosophers to the museums of Rome to put their questions to works of art from the time periods they spring from. They will explore how contemplating the art can open new possibilities for personal happiness and fulfillment. Class discussions and presentations will accompany this journey.