Philosophical Aestetics

We will focus on some of the most important writings on art in the Western philosophical tradition, from Immanuel Kant to our contemporaries. Questions will be discussed regarding the interpretation of art works and about the nature of art. These include: the nature and value of art, expression, creativity, artistic meaning, aesthetic experience, interpretation and aesthetic judgment. We will discuss contemporary approaches to selected topics in modern aesthetics: is the problem of beauty still relevant for the interpretation of literature, the expression of emotion in music, and the definition of art. The course is interactive so that students have a chance to become fully engaged in the subject matter.