Philosophy of Art

Catalog description

This course is an examination of central philosophical questions about the nature of art. We will examine philosophers' responses to questions such as: what is art? Does art differ from craft? Must art be beautiful? Is art universal or the same across cultures? Are there objective standards for determining the value of a piece of art? What is the relationship of aesthetic value to moral value, and what role (if any) does art play in social justice? We will also examine issues that arise in relation to particular art forms, including poetry, music, painting, dance, and theater.