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Philosophical Perspectives On Art

Plato viewed art as imitation - artists imitate objects in the imperfect physical world rather than aiming for the perfect forms. This makes art dangerous as it provides a replacement for reality attainable only through reason. Aristotle agreed art imitates but considered it an aid to revealing truth by representing all possibilities in reality. Kant saw beauty judgments as universal despite subjectivity, because when judging beauty one expects others to feel the same satisfaction. Tolstoy saw art as communicating the artist's emotions to audiences through mediums like music, poetry and opera, making feelings accessible across space and time.

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192 views36 pages

Philosophical Perspectives On Art

Plato viewed art as imitation - artists imitate objects in the imperfect physical world rather than aiming for the perfect forms. This makes art dangerous as it provides a replacement for reality attainable only through reason. Aristotle agreed art imitates but considered it an aid to revealing truth by representing all possibilities in reality. Kant saw beauty judgments as universal despite subjectivity, because when judging beauty one expects others to feel the same satisfaction. Tolstoy saw art as communicating the artist's emotions to audiences through mediums like music, poetry and opera, making feelings accessible across space and time.

Uploaded by

Jeff Jeremiah Perea
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Philosophical Perspectives on Art

HUMA 1a – Art Appreciation


Art as an
Imitation
Art as Imitation (Plato)
• Artists are imitators and art is the
imitation.
• Plato advised against the inclusion of arts
as a subject.
Art as Imitation – World of Forms
• In his Socratic dialogues Plato argues through
Socrates that because the material world is
changeable it is also unreliable. But Plato also
believed that this is not the whole story. Behind
this unreliable world of appearances is a world
of permanence and reliability. Plato calls this
more real (because permanent) world, the
world of ‘Forms’ or ‘Ideas’ (eidos/idea in Greek)
Art as Imitation (Plato)

The
Perfect
Circle
Art as Imitation (Plato)
Plato saw the changing physical world as a poor,
decaying copy of a perfect, rational, eternal, and
changeless original. The beauty of a flower, or a
sunset, a piece of music or a love affair, is an
imperfect copy of Beauty Itself. In this world of
changing appearances, while you might catch a
glimpse of that ravishing perfection, it will always
fade.
Art as Imitation (Plato)
Ex: Essences, like Justice.
Anyone knows that Real Justice is too much to
hope for in this corrupt world. The best you can
find is a rough approximation.
Art as Imitation (Plato)
The chair you sit on is not a real chair, but an
imperfect copy of the perfect “chair” in the
World of Forms.
Art as Imitation (Plato)
When you call someone “pogi” or “cute”,
You only refer to an imperfect beauty that
participates only in the FORM of beauty
found in the World of Forms
Art as Imitation (Plato)

Since artist create only COPIES of these “forms”,


Artists only tend to discourage men and women to
aim for the real entities in the World of Forms.
Suspicions of Plato in Arts
1. Arts appeal only to the emotional rather than
the rational.
2. Arts only imitate rather than lead one to
reality.
Example:
Poetry rouses emotions and feelings and thus,
clouds the rationality of people.

(Just like watching telenovelas, horror movies, or


delusional love stories.)
Art is an imitation of Imitation.
Explain this.
Plato: Art is dangerous.
Art is dangerous because it provides a
REPLACEMENT for the real entities that can only
be attained through reason.
Art as a
Representati
on
Art as a Representation (Aristotle)
Aristotle agreed with Plato with Arts as a form of
imitation.

However, unlike his teacher Plato,


Aristotle considered art as an aid to philosophy in
revealing truth.
Art as a Representation (Aristotle)

All kinds of art, including poetry, music, dance,


painting, sculpture do not aim to represent reality
as it is.
Art as a Representation (Aristotle)

They aim to
represent a vision
of WHAT MIGHT BE
Or all POSSIBILITIES
IN REALITY.
Art as a Representation (Aristotle)

With art, all possible versions of reality can occur.


Art as a
Disintereste
d Judgment
Art as a Disinterested Judgment (Kant)

The judgment of beauty, which is the cornerstone


of art, can be universal despite its subjectivity.
Art as a Disinterested Judgment (Kant)
Kahit may kanya-kanya tayong pananaw at
panghusga
According to Kant, we all have a UNIVERSAL
BASIS/CRITERIA for our judgments of beauty.
How is this possible?
When you judge for beauty, you are saying that the
subject has induced a particular feeling of
satisfaction.

You expect this ‘feeling’ to be also roused from


anyone.
How is this possible?

When you see something as beautiful,


You don’t just believe it, but you expect others to
see and feel the beauty you see.
Art as a
Communicatio
n
of Emotion
Art as a Communication of Emotion (Tolstoy)

Art plays a huge role in communication to its


audience’s emotions that the artist previously
experienced.
Art as a Communication of Emotion (Tolstoy)

Art serves as a language of communication that


articulates feelings and emotions unavailable to
the audience.
Art as a Communication of Emotion (Tolstoy)

Artists communicate their feelings through


Music
Opera
Poems
Which are then received by the audience
Art as a Communication of Emotion (Tolstoy)

Art is central to man’s emotion because it makes


feelings and emotions from the past and the
present accessible from one continent to another.

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