January 19: Overview of the Course
Readings: None
Assignment Due: None
In-Class: Introductions and and Syllabus Review
The Value of Artmaking and Artworks
January 21: The Value of Art: Pleasure
Readings Due before Class: Graham – Chapter 1
Assignment Due: 3515 – Diagnostic Essay
In-Class: Reading of Essays and Discussion of Graham Chapter 1
January 26:The Value of Art: Beauty
Readings Due before Class: Graham Chapter 2 “Art & Beauty”
Assignment Due: Summary of Kant’s Philosophy of Beauty
In-Class: Discussion of Kant and Beauty
January 28:The Value of Art: Beauty
Readings Due before Class:Watch this entire lecture by Umberto Eco. Review Graham Chapter 2 “Art & Beauty”
Assignment Due: One half page explanation of the nature of ugliness.
In-Class: Discussion of Gadamer and Play
February 2: The Value of Art: Emotion
Readings Due before Class:Graham Chapter 3 “Art & Emotion”
Assignment Due: Preparation for Vocabulary/Thinkers Quiz: Review Kant, Gadamer, Tolstoy
In-Class: Vocabulary/Thinkers Quiz
February 4: The Value of Art: Emotion
Readings Due before Class:Graham Chapter 3 “Art & Emotion”
Assignment Due: None
In-Class: Discussions of Critical Questions
February 9: The Value of Art: Emotion
Readings Due before Class:Graham Chapter 3 “Art & Emotion”
Assignment Due: None
In-Class:Vocabulary/Thinkers Quiz: Review Kant, Gadamer, Tolstoy, Aristotle. Study their main ideas.
February 11:The Value of Art: Understanding
Readings: Graham Chapter 4 “Art & Understanding”
Assignment Due: Be prepared to discuss the chapter in class.
In-Class: The cognitive theory of art.
February 11:The Value of Art: Understanding
Readings: Graham Chapter 4 “Art & Understanding”
Assignment Due: Be prepared to discuss the chapter in class.
In-Class: The cognitive theory of art.
February 18: Debate on the Value of Art
Readings: Graham Chapter 4 “Art & Understanding”
Assignment Due: Debate Assignment: 3515-Debate on Value
In-Class: The cognitive theory of art.
February 23: EXAM #1
In-class blue book exam on Chapters 1-4 in Graham.
February 25: Spiritual Value of the Arts
Readings: Wolterstorff – “Is Art Salvific?”
Assignment Due: Bring a one page response to Wolterstorff’s basic ideas.
In-Class: Discussion of Wolterstorff’s Thesis
March 1: The Problem of Modern Art
Readings: Graham, Modern Art, Chapter 10
Assignment Due: None
In-Class: Discussion of the Movie on Religion and Art
March 3: Theories of Art, Part 1
Readings: Graham, Theory of Art Part I, Chapter 12
Assignment Due: Write a 350-500 word reflection of what you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the institutional theory of art. Think with the text, don’t just summarize the text.
In-Class: Discussion of the Institutional Theory and the Sociological Theory of Art.
March 8: Theories of Art, Part 2
Readings: Graham, Theory of Art Part II, Chapter 12
Assignment Due: Write a 350-500 word reflection of what you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the deconstruction and postmodern aproaches to art. Think with the text, don’t just summarize the text.
In-Class: Discussions of the Value of the Normative Theory of the Arts.
March 10: EXAMINATION ON Theories of Art
In-Class: Exam #2
SPRING BREAK
From the Painting to the Performance Paradigm
March 22: Meetings on Progress in Course
March 24: The Aesthetic Impulse
Readings: Complete this reading from Tuan: Chapters 1.2
Assignment Due: Be ready to explain to your fellow students what it would mean for you to grow in your “Aesthetic Impulse.” (See Chapter 2)
In-Class: Sharing of Ideas on the “Aesthetic Impulse.”
March 29: Performance Art: Nothing of Me
Readings: Graham, Chapter 8.
Assignment Due: Review of the Play “Nothing of Me” in light of one key insight from Chapter 8.
In-Class: Discussion on Performance Art.
March 31: Developing your Aesthetic Impulse: Sensory Experiences
Readings: Tuan, Chapter 3
Assignment Due: none
In-Class: Paying attention to our proximal senses.
April 5: Sonic and Musical Art
Readings: Graham, Chapter 5
Assignment Due: none
In-Class: Discussion of the Experience of Music
April 7:Developing your Aesthetic Impulse: Sound Experiences
Readings: Tuan, Chapter 4
Assignment Due: none
In-Class: Paying attention to our proximal senses.
Assignment: Watch 5 minutes segments of each of the following videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pdcTqNn2qQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9nO9Ro_kd4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf3xHZrcjPg
While doing so, ask yourself the following question:
Disregarding obvious differences in personality, imagine you are in each pianists body/mind system feeling/experiencing exactly what they are feeling/experiencing. As an imaginary exercise, describe (in writing) how each of the pianists uses their “CONSCIOUSNESS” different. After you described each one of the pianists (as if you were in their body/minds) describe (in writing) similarities and differences. This is a subjective/intuitive exercise; do not worry about being “right” or “wrong” and do not worry about others possibly coming up with very difference descriptions. Bring your writings to class for reference.
April 12: The Aesthetics of Nature
Readings: Graham, Chapter 11
Assignment Due: none
In-Class:
April 14: Developing your Aesthetic Impulse: Place and Space
Readings: Tuan, chapters 6 and 7
Assignment Due: In Class Photo Assignment
In-Class:
April 19: Developing your Aesthetic Impulse: Place and Space
Readings: Tuan, chapters 6 and 7
Assignment Due: None
In-Class: Discussion of the Aesthetics of Nature and Culture
April 21: Post-Modern Theories of Art:
Readings: Tuan, Chapter 8
Assignment Due:
In-Class:
April 26: Examination on the 2nd Half of Class
Readings: In Class Examination on the readings of Tuan and Graham regarding the senses, theatre, music, nature.
STUDY GUIDE: 3515 – Final Exam Prep s16
April 28: Examination
Readings: Tuan Chapter 10; Gablik – Beyond the Disciplines
Assignment: Bring a one full paragraph description of the paper topic and initials that you will be writing about for your final paper. You should have decided if you will be writing on if you are writing about art in terms of understanding or perception.
In-Class: Discussion of ideas and brainstorming papers.
May 3: Student Symposiums: Question: What is the Role of the Artist in Society?
Reading: Watch all the videos on this web-page.
In-Class: The theme of our symposium is “What is the Role of the Artist in Society?” In light of this topic, and the video’s, each student should bring one single sentence question they want the class to discuss, and a one page (200-250 word) reflection on why discussing your question is important or what is behind you asking the question.
May 5: Student Symposium: How does Art Contribute to Human Flourishing
In-Class: Students present a 2 page (400-500 word) summaries of their paper including the topic, thesis and outline of your argument.
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January 12: Overview of the Course
Readings: None
Assignment Due: None
In-Class: Introductions and and Syllabus Review
January 14: What is Perception and how is it Threatened?
Readings: Pallasmaa, “Image in Contemporary Culture” (hand-out); Merleu-Ponty “World of Perception and the World of Science” (page 37 in the ONLINE BOOK
found here)
Assignment Due: None
In-Class: Discussion of Readings
January 19: Perception of Space
Readings: Merleu-Ponty, Chapter 2 (page 47 in the ONLINE BOOK found here)
Assignment Due in Class: 150 word typed Summary of Chapter and 250 word typed Description of a Space. This space should be meaningful to you in some way, and one that you have a rich memory of experience of. Describe the space in such a way that your description demonstrates Merleau-Ponty’s claims on page 54-55. If you have skills in drawing, instead of a 250 word description, you may draw the space and provide a 100 word written piece explaining why you drew it the way you did.
In-Class: Discussion our Perception of Space and Comparison of Works of Art
January 21: Perception of Objects
Readings: Merleu-Ponty, Chapter 3 (page 57 in the online book found here)
Assignment Due: 150 word typed Summary of Chapter and 250 word typed Description of an Object. This object should be meaningful to you in some way, and one that you have a rich memory of experience of. Describe the object in such a way that your description demonstrates Merleau-Ponty’s claims on page 63. If you have skills in drawing, instead of a 250 word description, you may draw the object and provide a 100 word written piece explaining why you drew it the way you did.
In-Class: Discussion our Perception of Objects and Comparison of Works of Art
January 26: Perception of Animals and People
Readings: Merleu-Ponty, chapter 3 (page 57 in the online book found here)
Assignment Due: 150 word typed Summary of Chapter and 250 word typed Description of a Person. This person need note be meaningful to you but at least is one that you are paying attention to. Describe the person in such a way that your description demonstrates Merleau-Ponty’s claims about the phenomena of a person’s presence described in chapter 5. If you have skills in drawing, instead of a 250 word description, you may draw the person and provide a 100 word written piece explaining why you drew it the way you did.
In-Class: Discussion our Perception of Persons and Comparison of Works of Art
January 28: Art and the World of Perception
Readings: Merleu-Ponty, Chapters 4 and 5 (page 91 in the online book found here)
Assignment Due: 150 word typed Summary of Chapter.
In-Class: Discussion the Chapter and Concluding Remarks
January 28: Art and the World of Perception
Readings: Merleu-Ponty, Chapters 4 and 5 (page 91 in the online book found here)
Assignment Due: 150 word typed Summary of Chapter.
In-Class: Discussion the Chapter and Concluding Remarks
Philosophical Aesthetics
February 3: Introduction to Aesthetics and the Question “What is Art?”
Readings: Barrett, Chapter 1 “Artworlds and Definitions.”
Assignment Due: Be prepared to discuss the chapter in class.
In-Class: Discussion of the Philosophy of Art proper, and its relation to
February 5: Realism and Representionalism
Readings:Barrett, Chapter 2, “Realism”
Assignment Due: Be prepared for the quiz, and discussion in class.
In-Class: QUIZ on Chapter 2: Vocabulary and Key Thinkers
February 10: Realism and Art Criticism
Readings:Barrett, Chapter 2, “Realism”
Assignment Due: A 250-300 word “realist’s” critique of a work of art of your choosing from the book. The picture need not be in Chapter 1, but any image in the book. Read through the various examples of critiques included in chapter 1 to get a sense of what is done. You can also consult this webpage for help in learning how to write about art. In particular, check out the section on Ekphrasis which is often helpful in a realist critique.
In-Class: Discussion of the critiques in Barrett and others.
February 12: Expressionism
Readings:Barrett, Chapter 3, “Expressionism and Cognitivism”
Assignment Due: Be prepared for the quiz, and discussion in class.
In-Class: QUIZ on Chapter 3: Vocabulary and Key Thinkers
February 17: Cognitivism
Readings:Barrett, Chapter 3, “Cognitivism”
Assignment Due: A 250-300 word “expressionist” or “cognitivist” critique of a work of art of your own choosing.
In-Class: Discussion of the critiques in Barrett and others.
February 19: NO CLASS
February 24: Formalism
Readings:Barrett, Chapter 4, “Formalism”
Assignment Due: Be prepared for the quiz, and discussion in class.
In-Class: QUIZ on Chapter 4: Vocabulary and Key Thinkers
February 26: Formalism
Readings:Barrett, Chapter 4, “Formalism”
Assignment Due: A 250-300 word “formalists” critique of a work of art. Of your choosing.
In-Class: Discussion of the critiques in Barrett and others. Preparation for debate.
March 3: Debate on the Value of Aesthetic Theories
Readings: Review of Barrett Chapters
Assignment Due: Bring prepared debate materials
In-Class: Debate
March 5: MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Readings:Midterm Study Guide
Assignment Due: None
In-Class: MIDTERM EXAMINATION
