Chapter 7 Essay Questions

  1. Do you believe that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”? Do you think judgments about art are matters of personal taste, or are there objective standards for gauging aesthetic worth? Explain.
  2. Can an object be considered beautiful (have aesthetic value) even though it portrays or supports repugnant attitudes? Can a sculpture have aesthetic value while containing an antireligious message?
  3. How does Plato's view of aesthetics differ from Aristotle’s? Which is more plausible?
  4. What is Martin Gardner's argument for the objectivist view of art? Do you agree? Why or why not?
  5. Critique David Hume's subjectivist view of art.
  6. Are there objects that do not or can never qualify as art? If so, why? If not, then what does that imply about the nature of art?
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