Values of Art Flashcards
What are the arguments in regards to whether authorial intention should impact our criticism of art? (Against, Objections, For, Objections)
- Wimsatt & Beardsley
- Do we really prioritise aesthetic pleasure?
- Wollheim
- Is it possible?
What is your line of argument in regards to whether authorial intention should impact our criticism of art? (Two points)
- W&B provide a strong argument as to why we shouldn’t, and if we simply modify slightly what we mean by aesthetic pleasure.
- Wollheim provides a comparatively weaker claim that we should.
What is W&B’s anti-intentionalism? (Three points)
- Arguing against the Romanti idea of self-expression.
- Argue that external evidence should not be taken into account as it is either unavailable, unnecessary, or misleading.
- Beardsley appeals to the aesthetic argument.
Whilst arguing against the Romantic ideal, what else are W&B trying to do?
Distinguish between criticism proper and author psychology.
What are the three kinds of evidence for meaning according to W&B?
- Internal (words, syntax)
- External (diary entries)
- Immediate (author’s private idiolect)
Why is external evidence either unavailable, unnecessary, or misleading according to W&B? (Three points)
- It is unavailable as we may not know or have any external evidence.
- Unnecessary as it has nothing to do with the poem itself or its success.
- misleading as it may change the way we view the poem which it shouldn’t.
Why do we view ordinary language differently than literary works according to Beardsley? (Two points)
- In ordinary language we do take in speaker intention (Grice)
- Beardsley states that literary texts are different due to the aesthetic argument.
What is Beardsley’s aesthetic argument?
The primary purpose of art is to maximise aesthetic pleasure.
How does Beardsley’s aesthetic argument impact our view on authorial intention?
It limits the power of our interpretation to make the work maximise aesthetic pleasure.
How do W&B categorise criticism?
As an evaluative activity.
What are the objections to W&B’s anti-intentionalism?
What is aesthetic pleasure and do we really prioritise it?
What is Wollheim’s criticism as retrieval theory? (Three points)
- Argues that criticism is about retrieval of the creative process.
- The work itself places limits this retrieval.
- Not only intention should be used, but also psychology and history.
What does Wollheim state about change in intention?
It is necessary for better understanding the creative process.
Objections to Wollheim’s criticism as retrieval?
- Is it even possible to properly reconstruct the creative process?
- Why should we? Shouldn’t we simply enjoy the work and shouldnt the critic be evaluating the piece itself rather than the author?
What are the arguments in regards to autonomism vs. moralism? (For, Objections, Rebuttal, Against)
- Autonomism
- Religious art?
- Moderate autonomism
- Carrol
What is your line of argument in regards to autonomism vs. moralism?
Carrol provides a good compamise between autonomism and moralism.
What is the autonomism view? (Two points)
- Art should only be regarded in terms of their aesthetic value.
- Radical autonomism argues that criticising art in terms of morals is a categorical mistake.
Why does autonomism argue that we shouldn’t consider art morally?
Some art has no moral features, so whatever we are criticising in these, we should criticise in all.
What are the objections to autonomism? (Two points)
- Some artwork seem to have to be evaluated morally, such as religious art.
- What is this pure aesthetic value?
What is a possible response for autonomism against the objection from religious art?
Moderate autonomism states that art can be evaluated morally but this is a seperate activity to evaluating it aesthetically.
What is Carroll’s argument in regards to autonomism vs. moralism? (Three points)
- Sometime an aesthetic defect can be a moral defect.
- This is because art prescribe certain responses.
- An aesthetic goal of getting the audience’s attention can be aided by morally virtuous aspects.
What example does Carroll use to show how a aesthetic defect can be an moral defect. (Two points)
- If a tragic hero is not sympathetic then the audience will fail to gain the right response to the character’s arch.
- American Psycho
What are the arguments in regards to forgery? (For, Against)
- Lessing
- Dutton
What is your line of argument in regards to forgery?
Dutton provides a more compelling account of why forgery is bad due to his emphasis on human performance.
