PH 370 Philosophy of Art

A philosophical inquiry about art and aesthetic value. Questions may include the following. What is art? Can we define art? How does a work of art represent something? Why are we interested in specific artistic media and genres? Are judgments about art merely expressions of taste? What is good and bad taste? Are there better and worse ways to experience art? How do works of art affect our emotions? What is the artist's role in culture? Should art serve social, political, or moral purposes? Prerequisite: One prior course in philosophy. Liberal Arts Core Designation: Depth in Faith and Reason (DF&R). (3)