1. Aesthetics: Philosophy of Art Plato: art imitates reality. By focusing on mere appearances, art distracts us from the truth and appeals to socially destructive emotions. It provides no real knowledge and undermines personal and social well-being Aristotle: art does not imitate particular things; rather it identifies universal ideals and values. It also purges us of our erotic and aggressive passions (catharsis)

2. Other Views of Art Romanticism: art expresses or evokes feelings: it embodies the creativity of reality by expressing emotions Art as form: the significance of a work depends on the form or order of its parts. –Abstract art develops aesthetic sensibilities –The “disinterested” pleasure of experiencing such order is the experience of beauty B. Croce Clive Bell

3. Still Other Views of Art Institutional theory of art: the designation of something as art is based on decisions by the artworld (George Dickie) The End of Art: conceptual art (e.g., by Marcel Duchamp) is less concerned now with representation or expression as it is with questioning what art itself is Arthur Danto