Critical Social Inquiry 0114 - Philosophy of Beauty

Since Plato, "Beauty" has proven to be a crucial topic in western philosophy. Philosophers across the supposed western/eastern divide have sought to address numerous questions surrounding the topic: what is beauty, what distinguishes and constitutes it, who can create it, who can discern and appreciate it? Is it subjective or objective? We will consider a variety of other critical questions via thinkers across disciplines such as: what is the point in creating art? Who or what is it for? What is its desired or intended impact on the audience? What are the germs of creativity, or what is the critical environment for its emergence? Is creativity and artistic inspiration an individual privilege, or can it be shared broadly in society, or in a community? What is the political role or place of the artist and his/her work? How do politics shape artistic representation? And finally, is the relationship of beauty and art in contemporary aesthetics dead? Keywords:Aesthetics, Philosophy of Art, Ethics, Feminist Theory

Media and Technology Library Materials: Herbert Marcuse The Aesthetic Dimension Immanuel Kant Critique of Judgment Nietzsche Beyond Good and Evil Arthur Danto After the End of Art Susan Sontag Against Interpretation and Other Essays; Notes on Camp Students should expect to spend 8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time