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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PH 304H"
COURSE NAME: "Philosophy of Art and Beauty -HONORS (This course carries 4 semester hours of credits. A minimum CUM GPA of 3.5 is required)"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2017
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Brunella Antomarini
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 11:30AM 12:45PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 60
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites: One previous philosophy course or Junior Standing Co-requisites: EN 110; Recommended Junior Standing
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
On this course we will examine philosophers’ fascinating attempts to understand art and explore the multiple roles that it can play in our lives. We will consider such issues as what ‘art’, ‘beauty’, ‘creativity’, ‘expression’, and ‘imagination’ can mean, whether our judgments about them can ever be objective, how art relates to our feelings and to our understanding of the external world, how it reflects society, religion, and politics, and the radical differences between contemporary, modern, and classical kinds of art.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Lectures and seminars will serve the purpose to analyze chosen topics (focused on visual art, with a look at theatre, poetry, music and dance). Power Point projections of classical and contemporary artworks are shown and discussed. A few guest lectures and films may be included in the program.

EXCERPTS FROM TEXTS TO BE EXAMINED IN DEPTH (in any good editions or online, or in books on reserve in the library):

W.Benjamin, The Work of Art in the Age if its Mechanical Reproduction 

G. Careri. Flights of Love.

A.Danto, The Abuse of Beauty

M. Duchamp, The Creative Act

P. Florensky, Inverted Perspective

F.Hegel, Lectures on Aesthetics 

H. Focillon, The Life of Forms

L. Henderson, Duchamp in Context

W. Kandinsky, The Spiritual in Art

I.Kant, Critique of Judgement

N. Luhmann, Art as a Social System

B. Newman, The Sublime is Now

E. Panofsky, Perspective as Symbolic Form

Plato, Republic X, Phaedrus, Symposium

Ramachandran, The Science of Art 

REFERENCE TEXT:

L. Shiner, The Invention of Art

EXCERPTS FROM FILMS:

Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dalì, Un chien andalou

Salvador Dalì and Walt Disney, Destino

Germain Dulac and Antonin Artaud, La coquille et le clergyman

Glitch music (Autechre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acuwRHIWL_o)

Theo Jansen, Animaris

William Kentridge, Automatic Writing

The painter in Teorema by P.P.Pasolini

Lars von Trier,  5 Obstructions                 

Bill Vorn, Le Procés

 

 
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will be able to understand modern art and to master art history from a theoretical perspective. Different theories of art explain different aspects of its practices, but are irreducible to one another. The study of the role contingency plays in the arts will constitute the core argument. The issues at stake will make students aware of the necessity to be critical and analytic in their evaluations of both philosophical arguments and art productions.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
   
papers and participation 35%,
   
Mid term exam 25%
Final exam 40%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Students should plan to regularly attend the class, since we will often broaden the topics contained in the texts to contemporary issues, and since this class is mainly intended to the rousing of students’ personal thoughts and ideas.

Please refer to the university catalog for the attendance and absence policy.

Academic honesty:

As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course.

 

It is forbidden to use the computer in class.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE




 

Introduction

From primitive to contemporary art

Plato on beauty and perception (aisthesis), Republic X, Phaedrus

Florensky and icon painting

Alberti and his modern critics: Panofsky

Kant on beauty

Kant on the sublime

Hegel and the end of art

Ramachandran: biological universality of beauty

Oct.



Kandinsky

Portmann: evolution and forms

Focillon on form

Duchamp, Wahrol and Newman (Henderson)

MID-TERM EXAMINATION

Films: Bunuel, Dalì; Dulac, Artaud.

Barnet Newman

Andy Warhol

Benjamin and the loss of aura

Nov



Danto's text

Danto and Hegel

Luhmann on art as a social need

Luhmann's text (The painter in Teorema by Pasolini)

Lars von Trier, 5 Obstructions

Comment on film

Virilio

Seminar

Dec



Seminar

Review

FINAL EXAMINATION