Conversations on art and aesthetics

337 Pages·2017·2.5 MB·English

by  Maes

Conversations on Art and Aesthetics

Conversations on
Art and Aesthetics
Hans Maes
1
3
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Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Foreword:LivesoftheAestheticians xi
MurraySmith
Introduction 1
1. AestheticExperienceandArtisticValue 15
AconversationwithJerroldLevinson
2. TheCommonplaceRaisedtoaHigherPower 49
AconversationwithArthurC.Danto
3. InsideOut:Portraits,Art,Science 83
AconversationwithCynthiaFreeland
4. TheTasty,theDisgusting,andtheGenuine 113
AconversationwithCarolynKorsmeyer
5. TheEmotionsinArt 145
AconversationwithJeneferRobinson
6. SharingaHomeintheWorld 179
AconversationwithRogerScruton
7. StoriesandWhatThey(Don’t)TeachUs 205
AconversationwithGregoryCurrie
8. CriticalEncounterswiththePast 229
AconversationwithPaulGuyer
9. ArtPractice,ArtCriticism,andPhilosophyofArt 257
AconversationwithNoëlCarroll
10. AestheticsandTheoryConstruction 287
AconversationwithKendallWalton
Index 310

Acknowledgements
I would like to express my profound gratitude to all those who have
helpedmeintheprocessofwritingthisbook.Myeditor,PeterMomtchiloff,
hasbeensupportivefromthestartandpatientuntiltheendandIwantto
thank him for taking up the idea of this volume in the first place.
Diarmuid Costello, Stacie Friend, Matthew Kieran, Dominic Lopes,
Alex Voorhoeve offered guidance and encouragement early on in the
project, while the following people have given me advice in preparing
individualchapters:RafaeldeClercq,KerenGodoreisky,AndrewKania,
PaisleyLivingston,JenniferMcMahon,TedNannicelli,MichaelNewall,
andRachelZuckert.Thisbookwouldbefarpoorerwereitnotfortheir
manyhelpfulsuggestions.
Onamorepracticallevel,IamindebtedtotheAmericanSocietyfor
AestheticsandBritishSocietyofAesthetics,forofferingtravelgrantsto
allowmetocompletethisproject,andtotheAestheticsResearchCentre
attheUniversityofKent,forhostingseveralofthephilosopherswhoare
inthisvolume.ClaireAnscombwentoutofherwaytomakeabeautiful
portrait of Noël Carroll, Irene Beazar helped me with some of the
logistics, and Angelo Cioffi did a great job putting together the index.
HeartfeltthanksarealsoduetoStevePyke,whosebrilliantphotographs
add a whole new dimension to this volume. I had already been an
admirerofhisworkformanyyears,butitreallydawnedonmethathe
wouldbetheidealpartnerforthisprojectwhenIheardhimsaythisinan
interview:
Peopletalkabouttakingpictures.It’sawordInevereverusebecause‘taken’is
thewrongadjective.Ifit’sanything,it’sgiving.Youknow,you’regivingpictures.
It’sacollaboration,it’slikeaconversation...it’sgoingbackwardsandforwards,
we’rebothlearningdifferentthingsabouteachotherbutalsoaboutwhatitisthat
wedo.It’sallaboutexchange.
Beingabletohavelongconversationswithdelightfullysmartphilosophers
was both great fun and hugely instructive. I consider myself very
privileged indeed to have had this opportunity and I wish to thank
themallfortakingtimeoutoftheirbusyschedulestomakeithappen.