Philosophy of Art

Originating with Plato and Aristotle, mimesis is the idea that art is fundamentally an imitation or representation of reality. Plato viewed this negatively, arguing art is a copy of a copy (twice removed from truth), while Aristotle saw imitation as a natural human activity through which we learn and experience catharsis.

The view that the aesthetic value of art lies in its formal properties such as shape, color, line, texture, and composition rather than in its subject matter, emotional content, or social context. Clive Bell's concept of 'significant form' is a foundational formalist idea.

The theory that art is the expression of the artist's emotions, inner states, or imaginative vision. R.G. Collingwood argued that true art involves the clarification of emotion through the creative process, distinguishing genuine expression from mere arousal of feelings.

Proposed by George Dickie, this theory holds that an artifact becomes a work of art when it is conferred that status by someone acting on behalf of the art world. Art is defined not by intrinsic properties but by its social and institutional context.

A distinctive type of experience characterized by disinterested attention, heightened perception, and intrinsic satisfaction. Immanuel Kant argued that aesthetic judgments are based on a feeling of pleasure that is universal, disinterested, and purposive without purpose.

A concept from literary criticism (Wimsatt and Beardsley, 1946) arguing that the meaning of a work of art should not be determined by the artist's stated or presumed intentions but by the work itself. This challenged author-centered interpretation.

An aesthetic category describing experiences of awe, grandeur, or overwhelming power that exceed ordinary beauty. Edmund Burke distinguished the sublime (associated with terror, vastness, and obscurity) from the beautiful (associated with smoothness, delicacy, and pleasure).

Aristotle's concept that tragedy produces a purging or purification of emotions, particularly pity and fear, in the audience. This emotional release was seen as psychologically and morally beneficial, justifying the value of dramatic art.

The doctrine that art has intrinsic value and needs no justification in terms of moral instruction, political utility, or social function. Associated with the Aesthetic Movement of the 19th century and writers like Theophile Gautier and Oscar Wilde.

A term introduced by Arthur Danto (1964) to describe the theoretical and institutional framework that enables something to be recognized as art. Understanding art requires knowledge of art history, theory, and the context in which a work is produced and received.