Introduction to the Philosophy of the Arts

This literature course is equivalent to the Dutch "Inleiding in de filosofie van de kunsten".
Students write six papers of approx. 2500 words. They are to send in a proposal before starting the writing of any of these papers. After each one or two papers they will meet with the teacher to discuss the papers.

A paper proposal should specify each of the following three elements.
First, a clear, and clearly philosophical problem
Second, a thesis with regard to this problem, and
third, the strategy with which to address the problem and argue for your thesis (including the relevant philosophers' positions, and the literature to be discussed).

Compulsory reading

Historical texts

David Hume "Of the standard of taste"
Immanuel Kant, the analytic of the beautiful (Part I, in The Critique of Judgement; Pluhar translation, Indianapolis: Hackett)
Martin Heidegger: The Origin of the Work of Art