The Philosophy of the Visual Arts

By Philip A. Alperson

Most instructors who teach introductory courses in aesthetics or the philosophy of arts use the visual arts as their implicit reference for "art" in general, yet until now there has been no aesthetics anthology specifically orientated to the visual arts. This text stresses conceptual and theoretical issues, first examining the very notion of "the visual arts" and then investigating philosophical questions raised by various forms, from painting, the paradigmatic form, to sculpture, photography, film, dance, kitsch, and other forms on the borders of the visual arts. The selections represent both classical and contemporary views and include sections by artists, art historians, and critics as well as philosophers. A singularly important text for courses in the philosophy of arts or aesthetics, this anthology is designed to enrich the philosophical and critical examination of our beliefs about the visual arts.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195059751
• ISBN13: 9780195059755
• Release Date: April 1992
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 640 Pages
• Weight: 2.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.6" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

The Paradigmatic Text for the Philosophy of Art

The debate concerning the Philosophy of Art in the 20th century is made simpler and comprehensive by Professor Alperson's remarkable contribution. This anthology explores various texts by some of the biggest key players in the debate. The interdisciplinary nature of the topic allows for the inclusion of crucial texts from various experts in the field (of both philosophy and art) such as: Arthur Danto, Joseph Margolis, Timothy Binkley, Arnold Berleant, George Dickie, Erwin Panofsky, and Rudolph Arnheim-not to mention selections by Freud, Kandinsky, and Wilde. This is an excellect pedagogical device for both the student as well as the advanced scholar. Prefessor Alperson's higly readable and accurate introductory summaries preceding each section make this anthology stand out over others which simply compile essays together without unifying them into an orderly whole. Since this book was published in 1992, one can hope that professor Alperson would consider releasing a revised up to date edition; but I imagine his days at Temple University keep him pretty busy.