Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art

Overview

This module addresses aesthetics and the philosophy of art from a historical perspective. It begins by examining the invention of the discipline of aesthetics and of the notion of ‘taste’ in the eighteenth-century. It then focuses on Edmund Burke’s and Immanuel Kant’s treatment of the key aesthetic categories of beauty and the sublime. The module follows the development of aesthetic themes in post-Kantian thinking by examining Friedrich Schiller’s notion of aesthetic education, and G. W. F. Hegel’s history of art, with its claim that that history had essentially come to its end. After examining Martin Heidegger’s 20th-century attempt to think beyond Hegel’s pronouncements concerning the ‘death of art’, the module will examine some contemporary discussions in the philosophy of photography and cinema.

Learning Objectives

On successful completion of the module students will:
• understand key concepts in aesthetics
• be able to apply aesthetic concepts to their own experience of fine art
• be able to grasp how works of fine art can be situatied in the history of art
• be able to reflect on the purposes of fine art

Skills

Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: to identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; to manage such information in an independent manner;
• Analytical Thinking: to identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; to construct independent arguments;
• Critical & Independent Thinking: to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing;
• Diversity: to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment;
• Self-Reflexivity: to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon one’s own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development;
• Time Management: to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; to cope with stress; and to achieve a work / life balance.
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: to demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT.
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: to demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines;
• Clear organisation of information: to show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information;
• Organisation and communication: to use evidence to develop logical and clear arguments; to show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way;
• Enterprising thinking: to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, display originality of thought and argument.

Assessment

None