What is Art? Class Notes

(Originally written February 6, 2007 in Book 12)

Class Notes

March 1, 2007 - "The 12 Best songs of the 60's & 70's"
March 23-24: Another lecture

What is Art?

Artworks can be classified by:

1) Their intent:
1) Fine art - art appreciated for its own sake
2) Practical art - art that is a means to an end
3) Decorative art - art intended to enhance the pleasingness of something else

2) Based on their media
1) Visual arts - medium is matter
2) Audio arts - medium is sound
3) Literary arts - medium is words
4) Mixed arts - (i.e. cinema, theater) medium is two or more

The Ontology (The Being of Something) of Art works

1. Under what conditions may we say an art work exists?
- What reality is in the existence of an art work
- Is its existence physical or mental? Or both?
- Does an artwork exist in the artist's mind prior to its physical existence?

2. What is the identity of a work of art?
- When do changes to an artwork cause it to cease to exist? [The philosophical problem of change and permanence]

The Problem of Definition

1. Subjectivism approach

Definition - art is whatever one deems it to be
Evaluative - good art is whatever one deems beautiful, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

2. Cultural relativism

Definition - art is whatever a culture considers to be art
Evaluative - good art is whatever is considered beautiful, according to culture conventions

3. Objectivism

Definition - 1. anything that has characteristics, 'X', 'Y', 'Z'... is art
                   2. to be art a thing must have, 'X', 'Y', 'Z'.

Evaluative - 1. good art has characteristics X, Y, Z...
                    2. to be good art a thing necessarily has X, Y, Z

In objectivism 1. is describing sufficient conditions for art. 2. is describing necessary conditions for art.

Difference between necessary and sufficient conditions

Necessary conditions - X is necessary for Y, Y cannot occur in the absence of X.

Sufficient conditions - X is sufficient for Y, the presence of X guarantees the presence of Y.