TAD3402

Issues and problems in the visual arts 3A

(A&D)

Not offered in 2002

6 points + One 2 hour lecture, one 1 hour tutorial per week + Second semester + Caulfield + Prerequisites: 2 second-year level TAD units + Prohibitions: TAD2402, TAD2412, TAD3412

Synopsis: Introduction to philosophical problems about the visual arts. What is art? What is a paradigm of art? Are there central and marginal forms of art? What is taste? Can taste be taught? Is there such a thing as aesthetic experience? Do statements of critical judgement perform any useful function? What is a theory of art, and how might a theory of art be assessed? The subject introduces classical and contemporary views and includes material drawn from artists, historians, critics and philosophers.

Assessment: Two essays: 50% each