The course ‘Issues in the Philosophy of Art’ is part of the program in Philosophy (MA level) and is included among the complementary training activities. The aim of this course is to introduce students to the philosophical foundations of art. Through a combination of readings, lectures, and discussions, we will examine key theories and ideas that have shaped our understanding of the nature, value, and significance of artistic expression. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the aesthetic dimensions of art and how they intersect with broader questions about society, culture, and human experience.
Upon completion of the course, students are expected to acquire the following skills:
- capacity to read and analyse philosophical sources in the philosophy of art;
- advanced critical thinking in relation to the relevant debate;
- advanced language and argumentation skills with regard to the topics discussed in class.
Upon completion of the course, students are expected to acquire the following skills:
- capacity to read and analyse philosophical sources in the philosophy of art;
- advanced critical thinking in relation to the relevant debate;
- advanced language and argumentation skills with regard to the topics discussed in class.
teacher profile teaching materials
ONTOLOGY OF ART
This course aims to familiarize students with various philosophical inquiries regarding the ontology of art. We will examine a range of ontological theories of art, including Platonism, nominalism, and idealism, among others. The course will explore questions such as: What defines the nature of works in different art forms? How are artworks related to the physical material used to create them? What impact do restoration and conservation have on artworks? How do we distinguish between a copy and an original?
Goodman, N., Languages of Art, Indianapolis, The Bobbs Merrill Company 1968.
Lamarque, P. Work and Object, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2010.
Christy Mag Uidhir (ed.), Art and Abstract Objects, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2012.
Pouivet, Roger, 2000, L’ontologie de l’œuvre d’art, Nîmes: J. Chambon; 2nd edition,Vrin, Paris 2010.
Programme
Course TitleONTOLOGY OF ART
This course aims to familiarize students with various philosophical inquiries regarding the ontology of art. We will examine a range of ontological theories of art, including Platonism, nominalism, and idealism, among others. The course will explore questions such as: What defines the nature of works in different art forms? How are artworks related to the physical material used to create them? What impact do restoration and conservation have on artworks? How do we distinguish between a copy and an original?
Core Documentation
Selected essays:Goodman, N., Languages of Art, Indianapolis, The Bobbs Merrill Company 1968.
Lamarque, P. Work and Object, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2010.
Christy Mag Uidhir (ed.), Art and Abstract Objects, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2012.
Pouivet, Roger, 2000, L’ontologie de l’œuvre d’art, Nîmes: J. Chambon; 2nd edition,Vrin, Paris 2010.
Reference Bibliography
Further readings Kivy, Peter, 1983a, “Platonism in Music: A Kind of Defense”, Grazer Philosophische Studien, 19(1): 109–129. –––, 1983b, “Platonism in Music: Another Kind of Defense”, American Philosophical Quarterly, 24(3): 245–252. Levinson, Jerrold, 1980a, ‘What a Musical Work Is’, The Journal of Philosophy, 70 (1): 5–28. –––, 1980b, ‘Autographic and Allographic Art Revisited’, Philosophical Studies, 38 (4): 367–383. –––, 1990, ‘What a Musical Work Is, Again’, in Music, Art, and Metaphysics, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 215–263. –––, 1996, ‘The Work of Visual Art’, in The Pleasures of Aesthetics: Philosophical Essays, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 129–137. Matheson, Carl, and Ben Caplan, 2008, ‘Modality, Individuation and the Ontology of Art’, Canadian Journal of Philosophy, 38 (4): 491–518. –––, 2011, ‘Ontology’, in The Routledge Companion to Philosophy and Music, Theodore Gracyk and Andrew Kania (eds.), London: Routledge, 38–47. Sagoff, Mark, 1978, ‘On Restoring and Reproducing Art’, Journal of Philosophy, 75 (9): 453–470. Thomasson, Amie, 2004, ‘The Ontology of Art’, in The Blackwell Guide to Aesthetics, Peter Kivy (ed.), Oxford: Blackwell, 78–92. –––, 2005, ‘The Ontology of Art and Knowledge in Aesthetics’, The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 63 (3): 221–229. –––, 2006b, ‘Debates about the Ontology of Art: What Are We Doing Here?’, Philosophy Compass, 1 (3): 245–255. Zemach, Eddy, 1966, ‘The Ontological Status of Art Objects’, The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 25 (2): 145–154.Type of delivery of the course
The course is taught by - Lectures - Interactive discussions with students; - Seminars with invited scholars.Attendance
Attendance is not compulsory yet it is highly recommendedType of evaluation
An oral test is scheduled at the end of the course.