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

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

PHI-30023 - Philosophy of Art
Coordinator: Dominic Janes Tel: +44 1782 7 33009
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

N/A


Barred Combinations

N/A


Description for 2025/26

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 over the last centuries;
- 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
: 2
apply the theories and answers discussed in the course to specific pieces with significance in the history of art: 1
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.: 1,2
sustain a clear written argument on an important issue in the philosophy of art that is informed by material from across the course: 2

Study hours

Contact hours:
- 12 x 1-hour lectures
- 12 x 1-hour seminars
Individual study hours:
- 50 hours seminar preparation
- 38 hours assignment preparation
- 38 hours essay preparation


School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Assignment weighted 50%
Critical commentary
A critical reading in 1500 words of an art image evaluated in the context of a short excerpt from a philosophy of art text (chosen from a set of options)

2: Essay weighted 50%
1500-word essay
A reflective essay in which students will explore a key issue in the philosophy of art by drawing directly on their reading and with reference to discussions from the class seminars.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. 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/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025