Aesthetics Phil-267 Department of Philosophy Wesleyan University Spring 2016. Thursday 7:00-9:50 pm Location: Wyllys 115 Professor Todd Kesselman tkesselman@wesleyan.edu Russell House (Rm. 211) Office Hours: Thursdays and Fridays, by appt. (Russell House) Thursdays 6:00-7:00 pm (Wyllys 319) Course Description. This course will investigate the history of the philosophies of art from Plato to contemporary aesthetics. We will read texts from Plato, Sophocles, Aristotle, Nietzsche, Kant, Schiller, Heidegger, Benjamin, Adorno, and Danto, with the aim of addressing the following questions: What is art and how is it to be defined? What is tragedy? What is the role of art in society? What is the relationship between art and truth? Who is the artist? What is beauty? How have historical changes affected the possibility and nature of artistic production? We will also explore the relationship between art and philosophy more generally, that is, the meaning of artistic creation as a human endeavor. Course Goals. The goal in this class will be to gain a solid understanding of the history of aesthetics, as well as understanding the way the philosophy of art informs philosophy more broadly. Students are expected to attend classes regularly, complete all the assigned readings, and come to class prepared with questions and comments for discussion. Rigorous philosophical work requires careful reading and critical thinking, and my hope is that this course will serve as an in-depth exploration of the philosophy of art as well as a preparation for further philosophical reading. Learning Outcomes. By the end of course, students should be able to (1) understand the basic questions of aesthetics and have a solid background in the problems surrounding the nature of art and beauty; (2) identify philosophical arguments and the steps of their justification; (3) ask critical questions and develop critical arguments; (4) write a thoughtful, well-organized philosophical paper with a clear thesis; (5) discuss ideas and give reasons for a philosophical position and (6) have a foundation upon which to engage in further philosophical work. 1
Schedule January 21 January 28 February 4 February 11 February 18 February 25 March 3 March 10 March 17 March 24 March 31 April 7 April 14 April 21 April 28 May 13 Introduction Discussion of the central themes in Aesthetics. Plato s Ion Plato s critique of feeling and performance. Plato s Republic Book II and Book III Plato s Republic Book VII and Book X *First Mini-Commentary Due 2/11 Greek Tragedy Sophocles, Antigone. Hegel s Aesthetics: Lectures on Fine Art. Oedipus Rex (Film, 1957) Aristotle s Poetics Nietzsche, Birth of Tragedy Attempt at Self-Criticism, 1-12, 12-35 (selections) *Second Mini-Commentary Due 3/3 Midsemester Recess Midsemester Recess Kant, Critique of Judgment *Midterm Papers Due 3/24 Schiller, Kallias or Concerning Beauty Heidegger, The Origin of the Work of Art Benjamin, The Work of Art in the Age of Mech. Reproduction *Third Mini-Commentary Due 4/14 Adorno, The Culture Industry Chapters 1-3 Danto, Beyond the Brillo Box Introduction, The Art World Revisited Final Papers Due 2
Grading. Participation (10%); Mini-Commentaries (20%); Mid-Term Paper (20%); Final Paper (50%) Readings. All texts will be provided online as pdf s via the Moodle. You are not required to purchase any books. I will provide a bibliography upon request, if you would like to purchase hard copies of any of the texts we will cover. Students are expected to complete any assigned reading for the week prior to class. Always bring the text that we are working on to class. Discussion. Students are expected to actively participate in the class discussion in a well-prepared and thoughtful manner. It is important that you read the assigned text with care, noting any questions or insights that you may have, and bring these notes to class. Absences. Your participation is a significant part of your final grade, so it is vital that you attend each class. If you are unable to attend a class, you will be required to submit a two-page summary of the reading due before the next session. Please submit your two-page make-up assignment by email, and use the formatting noted below. We will be referring back to each of the texts that we have read over the course of the semester, and so it is important to complete each reading even if you are not able to attend the class. Absences justify some grade reduction, unless there are extenuating circumstances such as the following: an extended illness requiring hospitalization or visit to a physician (with documentation); a family emergency, e.g. serious illness (with written explanation); observance of a religious holiday. The attendance and lateness policies are enforced as of the first day of classes for all registered students. If registered during the first week of the add/drop period, the student is responsible for any missed assignments and coursework. Mini-Commentaries (2 Pages). Due: 2/11, 3/3, 4/14. Mini-Commentaries are short, focused papers, whose purpose is to answer the assigned question with the most possible clarity. Because of the short length of the paper, your aim will be to distill only the most important details and central ideas from the text. Mid-Term Paper (5 Pages). Due: 3/24. Please choose a central theme or question that we have covered in class, and relate it to a contemporary debate. For example, you might consider a New York Times article, or a contemporary exhibition, according to Plato s critique of images in the Republic. 3
Final Paper (10-12 Pages). Due: 5/13. You may choose one question from the sample paper topics provided below. Or, if you would like to write on a topic other than the one s provided, you are welcomed to do so with approval. Please contact me by email at least two weeks before the due date for approval of the topic. The purpose of the final paper is to demonstrate your critical analysis of the material. Grading will be based on clarity, thoughtfulness, and your ability to support your claims. Papers must demonstrate the ability to construct coherent and comprehensive arguments. Engagement in secondary literature is welcome but not required. Paper Formatting. Times New Roman, 12-pt Font, Double Spacing, 1 Margins. Please cite any quotations from the assigned coursework with parenthesis after the quotations. Example: But surely the love of learning is the same thing as philosophy or the love of wisdom (Republic, 1015). Citations from secondary literature should follow the The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition. For more information about citations, see Purdue OWL Writing lab: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/12/ Plagiarism. Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of another person s words or ideas in any academic work and will not be tolerated. This could include using books, journals, Internet postings, or other students papers. Plagiarism will result in a grade of F for that assignment, in addition to any further consequences that may occur through Wesleyan s Plagiarism Policy. 4
Sample Paper Topics Final papers are due on Thursday May 12th, 2015. No late papers will be accepted. Please submit your papers on the Moodle, as PDFs. The aim of the final paper is to assess your ability to construct an organized, thoughtful, and clear argument. Papers should present a clear thesis. Close and careful engagement with the text(s) will be expected. Engagement with secondary literature is welcome but not required. Students will be graded according to clarity of writing, organization of thoughts, originality, thoughtful and critical argumentation, and the careful selection of quotations. Students are welcome to choose their own paper topics, but must obtain approval from me. 1. What is Plato s view of censorship in the arts? What are the arguments for or against censorship? 2. Discuss Plato s critique of images, and what this means for the value of artworks. 3. Discuss Aristotle s critique of Plato in the Poetics. How does Aristotle s view of the relationship between art and learning differ from Plato s? 4. Discuss Nietzsche s view that tragedy is the highest achievement of the arts. Explain what he means by the coming together of the Apollolian and the Dionysian in tragedy. What is special about tragedy (its nature, genesis, and origins) and what would a return to tragedy have to offer the modern word? 5. Explain Schiller s view that beauty is the appearance of freedom. 6. What is the relation between thing, work, and equipment in Heidegger s essay, The Origin of the Work of Art? How does equipment serve as a clue to art and help us understand what artworks do? 7. What does Benjamin mean by aura and how has this been lost in the work of art with the development of mechanical reproduction, specifically, with the development of photography and film? What are the possible benefits and downfalls of mechanical reproduction and the loss of aura? Is mechanical reproduction democratizing or a process of leveling down as Adorno would claim? 8. Explain what Adorno means by the term Culture Industry and how it differs from Culture as previously understood. How does Capitalism transform the meaning of artworks in general, through the dominance of exchange-value. 9. What is the Post-Historical Period of Art? How does Danto explain the distinction between works of art and mere real things. Explain the relationship between Pop Art and the development of Modernism. 5