Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art

Catalog description

Exploration of philosophical theories of art, including such questions as: Are the fine arts different from mere entertainment? Are there objective standards? Is the goal of art to express emotion, communicate truth, or produce pleasure? Can immoral artworks be good art? Students will critically examine their artistic experiences and prejudices to develop a richer sense of why we value the arts. Readings will include historical works by thinkers such as Plato, Tolstoy, Nietzsche, and Walter Benjamin, as well as contemporary philosophers like Arthur Danto.