Reading Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art: Selected Texts with Interactive Commentary

Designed for readers with no or little prior knowledge of the subject, this concise anthology brings together key texts in aesthetics and the philosophy of art. Two contrasting views are presented on each of six topics, with the texts either reprinted in their entirety or extracted where appropriate. They range from Plato’s famous critique of art in the Republic , through Nietzsche’s The Birth of Tragedy , to Barthes’ The Death of the Author , and pieces in recent philosophical aesthetics from a number of traditions. Each of the texts is accompanied by interactive editorial commentary, helping the reader to engage with the philosophical train of thought. The commentary explains the argumentative and historical context in which the piece was written, and draws out related methodological issues. Where relevant, the editor also highlights concerns about the nature of the subject, suggesting that much of what is discussed under the label ‘aesthetics’ is, in fact, better termed ‘philosophy of art’. For each topic, questions for debate and a short annotated bibliography are provided.

Sources and Acknowledgements. Introduction. . 1. Art, value, and philosophy . Introduction to the issues. Introduction to Plato. Plato, Republic, Book 10 (extract). Commentary on Plato. Introduction to Nietzsche. Friedrich Nietzsche, The Birth of Tragedy (extracts). Commentary on Nietzsche. . 2. Aesthetics, art, and nature . Introduction to the issues. Introduction to Carroll. Noël Carroll, ‘Art and Interaction’. Commentary on Carroll. Introduction to Hepburn. R.W. Hepburn, ‘Contemporary Aesthetics and the Neglect of Natural Beauty’. Commentary on Hepburn. . 3. Aesthetic judgements . Introduction to the issues. Introduction to Hume. David Hume, ‘Of the Standard of Taste’. Commenatary on Hume. Introduction to Kant. Immanuel Kant, Critique of the Power of Judgment (extract). Commentary on Kant. . 4. Definitions of art . Introduction to the issues. Introduction to Collingwood. R.G. Collingwood, The Principles of Art (extracts). Commentary on Collingwood. Introduction to Dickie. George Dickie, ‘The Institutional Theory of Art’. Commentary on Dickie. . 5. Authors and works . Introduction to the issues. Introduction to Barthes. Roland Barthes, ‘The Death of the Author’. Commentary on Barthes. Introduction to Danto. Arthur C. Danto, The Transfiguration of the Commonplace (extracts). Commentary on Danto. . 6. Depiction in art . Introduction to the issues. Introduction to Goodman. Nelson Goodman, Languages of Art (extracts). Commentary on Goodman. Introduction to Wollheim. Richard Wollheim, Painting as an Art (extract). Commentary on Wollheim. Further Reading. Index.

Christopher Janaway is Professor of Philosophy at University of Southampton. His recent publications include Schopenhauer: A Very Short Introduction (2002) and Reading Philosophy: Selected Texts with a Method for Beginners (co–edited with Samuel Guttenplan and Jennifer Hornsby, Blackwell, 2003).

"A thoughtful and creative selection of the very best work in aesthetics and philosophy of art brought to life with clear, fresh, and insightful commentaries – there is nothing like it." Dominic McIver Lopes, University of British Columbia <!––end––> ′′Through a careful and varied selection of writings, supported by clear and succinct commentary, Janaway′s volume succeeds very well in its aim of introducing the philosophy of art and the aesthetic in a way that will allow those new to the subject to grasp its interest and importance.′′ Sebastian Gardner, University College London