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PHI-30023 - Module Specification
School of Social Sciences
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2024/25 Last Updated: 24 April 2024

PHI-30023 - Philosophy of Art
Coordinator: Sorin Baiasu Room: CBA2.001 Tel: +44 1782 7 33591
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

Completion of core modules at level 2 in Philosophy or with the permission of the module convenor

Barred Combinations

N/A


Description for 2024/25

This module provides a critical introduction to fundamental questions in the philosophy of art and to their most influential answers. The module would be of interest to any student who wants to know more about the philosophical approach to arts.
In its first part, the module traces the subject back to its roots in Hume, Kant and Plato. The second part focuses on key questions in the philosophy of art, for instance, the definition of art, objectivity and subjectivity in aesthetic evaluation, the relationships between art and morality, beauty, representation and expression in art, ontology and art, truth and art, as well as questions concerning the role of interpretation and imagination, and questions concerning particular art forms.

Aims
The module aims to:
- offer students a critical introduction to those questions in the philosophy of art which are of contemporary interest, many of which having shaped movements in the arts in the last century;
- to enable students to express in a critical and informed manner their own views on the main topics discussed in the course.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/phi-30023/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

trace back to their historical sources and to their appropriate intellectual contexts the main directions in the philosophy of art;
will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
critically understand and distinguish the positions and theories discussed in the course in relation to key issues in aesthetics or philosophy of art; will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
analyse and evaluate the main answers to the key questions discussed in the course, in particular questions concerning the definition of art, the relationships between art and morality, beauty, truth and reality; will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
apply the theories and answers discussed in the course to specific pieces with significance in the history of art; will be achieved by assessments: 2
articulate and problematise concerns arising from the students' own aesthetic experiences on the basis of the arguments and positions discussed in the course; will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
formulate objections and start building their own views on the topics and issues on which the module focuses, for instance on the relationship between art and morality, art and truth, art and reality. will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2

Study hours

Contact hours:
- 10 1-hour lectures
- 10 1-hour seminars
Individual study hours:
- 65 hours seminar preparation
- 65 hours 1st essay preparation


School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Essay weighted 50%
2500-word essay on a topic from the first part of the module
Essay to be submitted shortly after the first part of the course is concluded. Essay topics and bibliographies will be available at the beginning of the module and students will be encouraged to start work on the essay early in the semester.

2: Portfolio weighted 50%
5 Weekly written pieces submitted before the seminar
Students will be asked to choose a work of art with significance for the history of art. Their portfolios will consist of reflective pieces in which they are asked to present how the questions and issues discussed in the course reflect on the chosen work of art. In other words, they will reflect on the art piece of their choice from the perspective of the issues discussed in the course. Students will be asked to prepare 5 written seminar pieces, each of approximately 500 words.

Please note that for the 2022/23 Academic Year programmes may be adapted to operate in accordance with a flexible, digital approach. This means that there may be some changes made to how modules are delivered and assessed. The latest information will be provided to you by your School in module handbooks. We endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes and details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/student-terms-and-conditions/

Last Updated: 24 April 2024