Philosophy 234, Spring 2008

Course description:
When Plato banished most poets and artists from his ideal state in his work, the Republic, he initiated what is known as the “ancient quarrel between philosophy and poetry,” or a conflict between philosophy and art more generally. Central to Plato’s charge against art is that it dwells at the realm of appearance only, and does not present the truth. We begin with Plato’s charge and investigate the question of whether or not art can reveal the truth about the world. Art has drastically changed since Plato’s time. Could a pile of bricks be art? Is it possible to give a definition of art? Is something art if you think it is? We address these questions in the second unit. In Unit III we look at the nature of aesthetic experience. What is it to have an aesthetic experience? Is beauty a part of the aesthetic? Can we have an aesthetic experience only of artworks? Or can we appreciate the aesthetic in our everyday lives and in the natural environment?

We will use many examples of artworks of various kinds (paintings, film, literature, music, and so on) as we discuss the ideas in the readings. You are also encouraged to bring in examples of artworks that you would like to discuss in relation to the readings.

Course goals:
The central goal of the course is to introduce you to some of the puzzles and problems that philosophers have considered when they have thought about art. After going through the course you will have learned a new way to think about art. You will also learn about philosophical thinking and see how examining art can teach us more about the nature of philosophy.