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Philosophy of Art

Art is the expression of opinion, feeling, instinct, wish and experiences of the world.

In other words, art is the firm or passionate intent about concepts that cannot be absolutely

communicated by words alone. Art, therefore, is how media is utilized to convey content as a

means of expression (Leder et al. 1137-1147). Art is therefore the creative ability of an

individual to express emotions or perceptions of particular aspects of life, excitement, fear,

conflict as in war, or pain. Philosophy is the belief about reality of the world thereby

depicting the existence, man, and the role that he plays. Philosophy is therefore, the

understanding and integration of ideas through standards. Man draws conclusions about the

nature of the world to be able to understand it. Philosophy provides the foundation for which

to understand the world, by finding the truth and support for life (Eldridge 167).

Philosophy is therefore, the analysis of concepts as used in discussion about art as a

means of expression. Art, just like philosophy, helps project reality and its relationship, and

portrays that relationship created through contact with their environment. Philosophy, just as

is natural with art is intense in its role to communicate. Art therefore, express several

emotions that are passionate about specific feelings as a way of communication.

Branches of Philosophy

The divisions of philosophy include; those concerned with abstract concepts, theory

of knowledge, morality, government and aesthetic. Metaphysics is the bedrock of philosophy

as it explains or interprets of the world that man exists to be able to deal with reality.

Epistemology on the other hand, is the study of the means of getting knowledge. It looks at

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concepts, senses, logic feelings, ideas, emotions and memories. Ethics deals with the course

of action to be taken. Another branch of philosophy is politics, which dictates how the society

is set up, and the behavior expected within the society. Finally, esthetics is the study of art, its

concepts and the purpose to be achieved through art. Esthetics is important as it explains the

reason for the existence of art. Because of the ability of art in the recreation of reality, art is

useful in ensuring that imaginative memories are expressed thereby bringing the intended

idea to the viewer of the artwork.

Philosophers of Art

Aristotle existed between 384 - 322 BCE. Aristotle and Plato believed in unchanging

forms, which shape what we know. Both of these philosophers believed that grasping forms

enables us to understand concepts. The philosophies of these philosophers are that a form

taken in the mind helps shape our mind.

Clive Bell (1881-1964)

This British philosopher and art critic stood for theoretical art. Bell's theory on

aesthetic was based on experiences that one encounter in his surroundings. According to his

book, Art published in 1914, there is a specific aesthetic emotion with aesthetic qualities in an

object that stimulate emotion.

Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939)

Freud philosophizes that, it is the tangible or physical and not the standard world that

is fundamentally real. According to Freud, the ideal is derived from the necessary physical

drives. Freud thinks about art in relation to beauty as related pleasure principle, and sees it as

the satisfaction derived from the art as seen by the viewer.

Immanuel Kant.

Immanuel Kant, who existed between 1724 and 1804, was a German Enlightenment

philosopher whose philosophy has shaped western thought that came after him. As a popular

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lecturer, Kant defended the deliberate choice that people make in order to examine what is

known about the mind. Through his works Kant saw the Critique of Judgment (1970) as what

connected his works to the literary or knowledge as is in his book of knowledge, Critique of

Pure Reason.

Plato

Plato loved and hated art in equal measure. Because he talked about art most of the

time, his remarks indicate that paid intimate attention to everything he saw and heard.

According to Plato, arts, was so powerful that it could be used to shape character. He

therefore portends that ideal citizens should be guided and protected by strictly controlling

arts. Plato had a strong influence on western culture, arts, and on the theories of art.

The basic feature of Plato’s theories is that art is an imitation of the reality. This

theory still holds to date as very many people still believe that, paintings are copies of things

with their appearances the same way, as they appear naturally (Davies p.78). However,

during the late nineteenth century the idea art as an imitation started to diminish from western

aesthetics, and was replaced by theories about art as a form of expression and for

communication to help elicit an aesthetic response. According to Plato, art is powerful,

making it dangerous as it stirs up emotions as in dance, poetry, music and painting. Because

of this, it could influence behavior and character. The theorist therefore suggested that it be

introduced in the education system but must be censored to only present what is not

dangerous to them.

Pythagoras’ theory of number mysticism

This was the early concept of the geometric progression whose motivation came about

due to identification of sequences of tones that are as a result of the vibration of a string when

pulled or plucked. The string moves continuously and rapidly throughout its size in

sequences. From this theory, Plato thought that the right tones of music would be that which

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create harmony and not conflict. This he believed could only be done by excluding specific

overtones from the public, and retaining the appropriate parts. The rest of the modes could

only be introduced when young people are ready to be tested by exposing them to what is

depicted as evil (Davies & Alperson 2016 p.7).

Conclusion

Art is therefore a measure of a country’s maturity, sensitivity, and sophistication as

portrayed by the quality of her artists. However, this even so when the government and the

citizens recognize and appreciate arts. The values of art come from them, not the derived

benefits that accrue to the artists and their usage that their effects have. The best art is usually

original, as it is to be judged and appreciated from the experiences that are produced from its

features that follow models and rules relevant for the production of such art. In fact, good

artwork depicts the personality of the art who is expressing an idea. Philosophy of art is the

knowledge and the understanding of the meaning derived from the work of an artist.

In summary, study of art therefore identifies art under different theorists: expressive

theory, where art is seen as a representation of the emotions of an artist. Literary theory; art

has interdependent parts that make it whole. Processional theory: art making is a creative

work that is related to ceremonial procession and is made up of parts that are interdependent.

Finally, aesthetics: that the work of art exist because of the emotional appeal occasioned by

its beauty alone.

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Works Cited

Davies, Stephen, and Philip Alperson. The Philosophy of Art. , 2016. Internet resource.

Davies, Stephen. Philosophy of Art. , 2015. Internet resource.

Eldridge, Richard Thomas. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Art., 2014. Cambridge

Introductions to Philosophy. Internet resource.

Leder, Helmut et al. What makes an art expert? Emotion and evaluation in art

appreciation. 2014 p. 1137-1147. Retrieved from

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699931.2013.870132

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