“A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind.” —Eugène Ionesco, Notes and Counter-Notes, pt. 2.
“Philosophy and the Arts” investigates what is prompted by a confrontation with and contemplation of the creative arts broadly construed: explorations into the nature of beauty, the meaning and use of art, and the capacity of the various arts to communicate philosophical ideas. By reflecting on such topics, we can hone our abilities to grapple in canonical and contemporary debates about art’s nature, function, and goals, and thereby better understand the arts as expressions of philosophy or wisdom, which can make one a better thinker, a better artist, enliven one’s art experience, and generally vitalize all of life’s experiences.
We will examine countless facets of the many collisions between philosophy and the arts. Study an incredibly diverse palate of canonical philosophers, contemporary scholars, eminent cultural critics, and artists ranging from the famous to infamous to obscure. Engage projects that exercise rigorous reading and hermeneutical interpretation, critical and creative writing, rigorous textual discussions and creative dialogical exploration of ideas, informal and formal presentations, and include experiential options from attending events to doing art. And, within all this diversity, our course will coalesce around three interwoven questions: How do we Judge Art? What is the Nature of Art? What is the Power of {and Effects from} Art?
These questions will lead us into investigations of all forms of arts and crafts and to explorations including: What does “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” really mean? Is beauty universal? Is art necessarily beautiful? What is the sublime? Is its appreciation emotional or rational? Is all aesthetic judgment subjective? Who can judge art? By what criteria do we judge art as art? Is all art good art? Is art evaluated by its form or content, the artwork or its reception? Are all arts equal? Is craft essentially different from art? What is the purpose of art? Can something useful be art? Should art be privately owned? Is art’s essence imitation or originality? Is art’s origin & source the artwork or artist? Can artists be trained or only born? Can an artist be a critic and a critic an artist? Is skill as important as imagination? What is artistic genius? What is the power of art? How does the psychology of art relate to its social impact? Should we censor art? Should we censor political or commercial uses of art? Does art speak? How ought we look at, read, listen to, learn from art? Does art have to have a message? Can art ever not have meaning?
I. Required Text: Must always have the day’s relevant text with you in class. A physical copy of our anthology is required. All other readings available on Blackboard; physical copies preferred, but digital are acceptable.
Art and its Significance: An Anthology of Aesthetic Theory, third edition, ed. Stephen David Ross (New York: State University of New York Press, 1994). ISBN: 978-0791418529. List Price: $31.95.
II. Course Objective and Goals: The course aim is to provide a thorough introduction to and rigorous working through a breadth of questions arising from philosophy’s engagement with art and the arts. Its studies will be relevant to numerous academic disciplines, intellectual pursuits, and everyday activities and questions, with specific goals including: ~~Building a working body of knowledge comprised of a developed familiarity in & with a range of central topics, dominate theories, technical terminology, key philosophers & texts, & further relevant figures & works in & relating to aesthetics. ~~Exercising fundamental skills involved in philosophical reading, thinking, & writing that employs thoughtful study & research submitted to critical & creative analysis, thereby feeding intellectual curiosity & imaginative talents while developing the creation & defense of one’s own ideas. ~~Contributing genuinely to class experience as cultivation of the desire for and activity towards broadening intellectual perspectives and fostering greater theoretical & social literacy in philosophy, the arts, & humanities, with direct connection to diverse academic & personal interests & pursuits.
III. Course Policies and Requirements:
Assignments: • Journal Project: Weekly writing assignments to be kept in your class journal through the semester; it yields four graded assignments itself, and its content will be formative of reading presentation and class discussion graded assignments. Each assignment totals roughly four pages of informal writing (e.g., bullet points, outlines, lists, narrative paragraphs, etc.) to be completed after re-reading/reflecting on the week’s readings, and is divided between two-parts (exceptions noted on schedule & with prompts):
Précis: roughly a page-long summary of each assigned reading; each brief synopsis can be a statement of the piece’s main message, its thesis and argument, an outline, etc., and may include your questions, evaluation, or points you wish to bring to discussion;
Expound: roughly a page-long reflective response to two of the week’s given prompts (provided in class and posted on course website).
• Reading Presentation: Nearly each Thursday, two students will begin class by presenting (10 minutes) their Journal Précis and proposing an opening question for class discussion. Each will be assigned a reading and day to present; the presenters may work individually or collaborate. • Final Project: Cumulative project, due at our final exam; more information provided in class.
Grade Distribution & Scale: Journal Project: 60% of final grade (each of four submissions: 15%) Reading Presentation: 15% Final Project: 15% Attendance & Participation: 10% Scale: All assignments will receive an alphabetic and/or numeric grade based upon their demonstrated quality of thought and effort. The scale will be: A (100-94); A- (93-90); B+ (89-87); B (86-83); B- (82-80); C+ (79-77); C (76-73); C- (72-70); D+ (69-67); D (66-63); D- (62-60); F (59-0). Any grade disputes will be settled by personal meeting where we will review together the totality of your class work.
Evaluation Criteria: • Attendance: is expected and requires presence of both body and mind: sleeping in class or distraction by digital devices will be considered absence; presence entails class preparation (completion of & reflection on readings) and active attention to and engagement in the class experience. All are responsible for material covered and due on missed days. Missing three to five classes (except by “Provost’s Excuse”) will reduce one’s ‘Attend. & Part.’ grade a letter per miss (e.g., from A to B for 3 absences, C for 4th, and D for 5th). According to University policy, any student missing three times the number of class meetings per week (i.e., 6 classes), including otherwise excusable absences (e.g., due illness or late registration) and excluding “Provost Excuses,” must automatically & immediately receive the “FN” grade. Each student is fully responsible for verifying and correcting, if necessary, his/her registration status. • Participation: broadly construed to include oral contribution, active attention paid to lecture and discussion, concentrated listening to and engaging your peers, discussion by email or in office hours, and incorporation of classroom material into submitted work. I expect all students to engage in dialogue that is both deeply reflective and highly respectful. • Journal Project: evaluated by completion (i.e., has all required entries), quality of content (i.e., Précises: effectively summarize without excessive chronical or sacrifice of crucial content; including brief evaluation, questions, comments for class beneficial; Expoundings: prompts clearly addressed, thoughtful depth of reflection, analysis, interpretation), and of presentation (i.e., entries & their topics clearly identified, writing adequately legible, thoughts well-formed, pieces are cohesive wholes; evidencing attention to form, tone, style beneficial). • Reading Presentation: evaluated by quality of content (i.e., clear, accurate summary and discussion questions evidencing thoughtful reflection), and of presentation (i.e., effective communication of summary and questions and attentive to generated discussion). • Final Project: evaluation dependent on decided format; thorough information will be provided. • Late Assignments: will only be accepted within one week of the due date and receive a ten-point penalty, unless arrangements for a brief extension have been made in advance. • Journal Rewrites: are discouraged unless clear benefit to your grasp of the material; can earn up to 10 additional points, and must be submitted within one month of original due date (prior to course end).
Electronic Supplements & Notes: Course information, including assignment information and assigned readings will be provided through our course Blackboard site. Our external class site provides optional supplemental aids on readings and related philosophical and artistic topics, and is available at: http://threshold-to-lintel.weebly.com/. Even more aids and resources can be found under the “Aesthetics” tab at: www.aquestionofexistence.com.
Extra Credit Assignments: 1) Read any of the following selections and write a three-page typed analysis that clearly summarizes the material, delineates its main argument(s), and closely evaluates its meaning (for itself and for you).
Any essay in our course anthology that is not on the syllabus as required. Essays over 10 pages will count as 2 assignments.
Jean-François Lyotard’s “Preliminary Notes on the Pragmatic of Works: Daniel Buren,” October 10 (1979): 59-67, on BB.
Renee Conroy’s “Dancework Reconstruction: Kinesthetic Preservation or Danceworld Kitsch?”, www.aesthetics-online.org/articles/index.php?articles_id=35.
Babette Babich, “The Aesthetics of the Between: On Space and Beauty,” in Jeff Koons: The Sculptor, eds. Brinkmann, Ulrich, and Pissarro, 58-69, on BB.
Franz Fanon, “Reciprocal Bases of Natl. Culture & Fight for Freedom,” Wretched of the Earth, www.marxists.org/subject/africa/fanon/national-culture.htm.
Theodor Adorno & Max Horkheimer, Ch.1, The Culture Industry, www.marxists.org/reference/archive/adorno/1944/culture-industry.htm.
C.G. Kodat, “Conversing with Ourselves: Canon, Freedom, Jazz,” American Quarterly 55:1 (2003): pp.1-28., on BB.
K. Cartwright, “Voodoo Hermeneutics/The Crossroads Sublime: Soul Musics, Mindful Body, and Creole Consciousness,” The Mississippi Quarterly 51:1 (2003-04): pp. 157-70, on BB.
Michel Henry, “Monumental Art” and “Music and Painting” in Seeing the Invisible: On Kandinsky, pp.102-118, on BB.
2) Select and watch a film listed below; write a three-page analysis including a plot summary highlighting philosophically relevant details and your thorough evaluation of it as both an aesthetic and theoretical presentation. For sensitivity to adult content, I encourage you to consult summations or reviews before viewing any of these films; feel free to ask me, as well, for advice and/or recommendations. ~ Experimental ~
Stan Bralhage’s “By Brakhage: An Anthology,” (American, experimental shorts from 1954-2001), either volume.
Igmar Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal” (Swedish, 1957), “Through a Glass Darkly” (‘61), “Winter Light” (‘63), “The Silence” (‘63), “Persona” (‘66), “Wild Strawberries” (‘57).
Krzysztof Kieslowski’s “Three Colors: Blue” (Polish dir., film in French, ‘93), “The Double Life of Véronique” (‘91).
Werner Herzog’s “Fitzcarraldo” (German, 1982), “Woyzeck” (‘79), “Engima of Kasper Hauser” (‘74), “Aguirre, the Wrath of God” (‘72), “Heart of Glass” (‘76).
Abbas Kiarostami’s “Taste of Cherry” (Iranian, 1997).
Luis Buñuel’s “That Obscure Object of Desire” (Fr., 1977).
Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s “Despair” (German, 1978), “Katzelmacher” (‘69), “Ali: Fear Eats the Soul” (‘74).
Marco Bellocchio’s “My Mother’s Smile” (Italian, 2002).
Jim Jarmusch’s “Stranger than Paradise” (American, 1984).
Monte Hellman’s “Two-Lane Blacktop” (American, 1971).
Dennis Hopper’s “Easy Rider” (American, 1969).
Gus Van Sant’s “My Own Private Idaho” (American, 1991).
Robert Altman’s “3 Women” (American, 1977).
Ang Lee’s “The Ice Storm” (American, 1997).
Richard Linklater’s “Waking Life” (American, 2001).
If more extra credit assignments are desired, please see me (i.e., there is no maximum cap on the number of extra credit assignments you may complete).
IV. University Policies:
Honor Code:
The Belmont community values personal integrity & academic honesty as the foundation of university life & the cornerstone of a premiere educational experience. Our community believes that trust amongst its members is essential for both scholarship & effective interactions & operations of the University. As members of the Belmont community, all are responsible for ensuring their experiences will be free of behaviors that compromise this value. To uphold academic integrity, the university has adopted the Student Honor Pledge that guides academic behavior: I will not give or receive aid during examinations; I will not give or receive false or impermissible aid in course work, in the preparation of reports, or in any other type of work that is to be used by the instructor as the basis of my grade; I will not engage in any form of academic fraud. Furthermore, I will uphold my responsibility to see to it that others abide by the spirit and letter of this Honor Pledge (University Handbook).
Accordingly, I have a zero-tolerance policy for academic dishonesty, especially plagiarism. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the summary, paraphrase, or direct quotation of either published or unpublished work of another without full & clear citation. Consequences for academic dishonesty will result in a zero score on the assignment, no opportunity for resubmission, & possible further repercussions in accordance with school policy. If you have questions about plagiarism or academic honesty in general, please consult the school handbook, one’s academic advisor, or me.
Accommodation of Disabilities: In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Belmont University will provide reasonable accommodation of all medically documented disabilities. If you have a disability and would like reasonable accommodations made during this course, please notify the Office of the Dean of Students located in Beaman Student Life Center (615-460-6407) as soon as possible.
Course Evaluations: The university urges and expects all students to participate in all course evaluations, providing honest feedback to the instructor and institution about specific aspects and elements of the course. In addition, I highly encourage such evaluation to be live all semester in the classroom; I invite every student to take an active role in forging the unique experience of this class, and will also regularly solicit your input.
Etcetera:
Please refrain from the use of (distraction by) digital devices.
I highly encourage you to email, come to office hours, and/or arrange a meeting for any questions, concerns, etc. about the class and its material.
I will ask us all to uphold the ideals of academic freedom to make our classroom a space of comfortable and free discourse, which means feeling free and encouraged to openly entertain and exchange even uncomfortable ideas and actively maintaining an environment wherein others enjoy the same by each fully respecting the rights of all.
This syllabus is subject to change; any changes will be announced in class & amended online.
“Art is so wonderfully irrational, exuberantly pointless, but necessary all the same. Pointless and yet necessary …” —Günter Grass, Interview in New Statesman & Society, London, 22 June 1990.
V. Reading & Assignment Schedule:
Notes: ✤Readings & Assignments due ON the day listed; Graded Assignments in ~bold~. ✤ Read the assigned selections slowly, thoroughly, thoughtfully-- these works & their ideas yield subject matter for Tues. classes & Thurs. Journal Writings. ✤ Re-read & Reflect on texts before Writing your journal assignments; cf. “Assignments” above, class handout, & course website for information & weekly prompts.
~JANUARY~ How do we Judge Art? What is the Nature of Art? What is the Power of {Effects from} Art? M. 8: Course Introduction W. 10: Introductory Discussions: Judgement, Nature, Power, Effects
Judgements of Beauty & Sublimity: M. 15:No Classes ~ MLK jr. Holiday (T.16: Last Day to Drop with Refund) W. 17: Read: Kant’s Critique of Judgment, ‘Judgment’ & ‘Analytic of the Beautiful,’ in A&S, pp. 93-113. & Write: (1) Précis; (2) Expound.
M. 22: Read: Kant’s Critique of Judgment, ‘Analytic of the Sublime,’ in A&S, pp. 113-120 & Jean-François Lyotard’s “What is Postmodernism?”, in A&S, pp. 559-564. W. 24: Re-read: Monday’s readings & Write: (1) Précis; (2) Expound.
M. 29: Read: Kant’s Crit. of Jdg., ‘Deduction’ (§§31-Rmk) & ‘Genius’ (§§46-49) in A&S, pp. 120-133. W. 31: Re-read: Monday’s readings & Write: (1) Précis; (2) Expound. ~Submit Journals~
~FEBRUARY~ Near or Far? Consummatory Principle & Psychical Distance: M. 5: Read: Stephen Pepper’s The Work of Art, in A&S, pp. 326-330 & Edward Bullough’s “‘Psychical Distance’ as a Factor in Art and as an Aesthetic Principle,” in A&S, pp.457-467. W. 7: Re-read: Monday’s readings & Write: (1) Précis; (2) Expound.
Emotional Expression / Expression of Emotions: M. 12: Read: R. G. Collingwood’s Principles of Art, in A&S, pp.191-201 & Tolstoy’s “What is Art?”, in A&S, pp. 177-181. (T.13: Last day to withdraw with a “W”) W. 14: Re-read: Monday’s readings & Write: (1) Précis; (2) Expound.
Synesthesia & Catharsis: M. 19: Read: Wassily Kandinsky’s “Concrete Art,” in A&S, pp. 673-676 & Lev Vygotsky’s The Psychology of Art, in A&S, pp. 521-523. W. 21: Re-read: Monday’s readings & Write: (1) Précis; (2) Expound. ~Submit Journals~
Significant Form & Sensation Itself: M. 26: Read: Clive Bell’s Art, in A&S, pp. 185-190 & Kasimir Malevich’s “Suprematism,” in A&S, pp. 667-672. W. 28: Re-read: Monday’s reading & Write: (1) Précis; (2) Expound.
~MARCH~ M. 5 & W. 7: No Classes ~ Spring Break (5th – 9th)
Imaginative Experience: “doing and undergoing, outgoing and incoming energy” M. 12: Read: John Dewey’s Art as Experience, in A&S, pp.203-220 W. 14: Re-read: Monday’s readings & Write: (1) Précis; (2) Expound.
The Analysis of Pure Experience of Order: M. 19: Read: Michel Foucault’s The Order of Things, in A&S, pp. 439-454. W. 21: Re-read: Monday’s readings & Write: (1) Précis; (2) Expound.
Shots and Wholes: M. 26: Read: Bela Balazs’ “The Close-Up,” on Blackboard, pp.52-59 W. 28: No Classes ~ Easter Break (Th.29-F.30) (M.26: Last day to withdraw with a “WP”/”WF”)
~APRIL~ Futurism as Politico-Artistic Revolution: M. 2: Read: F. T. Marinetti’s “Futurist Painting: Technical Manifesto,” in A&S, pp. 656-660 & Umberto Boccioni’s “Technical Manifesto of Futurist Sculpture,” in A&S, pp.661-666. W. 4: Re-read: Monday’s reading & Write: (1) Précis; (2) Expound.
Power: Fetish. Effects: Regression: M. 9: Read: Theodor W. Adorno’s “On the Fetish-Character in Music …,” in A&S, pp. 539-547. W. 11: Re-read: Last Monday’s reading & Write: (1) Expound.
Art as Liberator: M. 16: Read: Herbert Marcuse’s The Aesthetic Dimension, in A&S, pp. 548-557. W. 18: Re-read: Monday’s reading & Write: (1) Précis; (2) Expound. ~Submit Journals~
M. 23: Last Day of Class
~Final Exam~ Mon., April 30, 2-4 p.m., in our regular classroom.