Philosophy of the Arts: An Introduction to Aesthetics

Philosophy of the Arts approaches the issues in aesthetics not by asking what art is, but what its special value is. Gordon Graham explores the familiar and rival ideas of the value of art as a form of entertainment, a source of beauty and as a means of emotional expression. He undertakes an understanding of art in general--painting, film, fiction, poetry, architecture and music--rather than fine art alone. Graham reflects upon the theories of a range of thinkers, including Hume, Kant, Habermas, Levy-Strauss and Derrida to promote a complete awareness for the merits of the arts.