Abstract

What is an Artist Philosopher? How does one become an Artist Philosopher? When do you
know you have become/are an Artist Philosopher? These questions fuel the desire for my
research and finding the answers will guide me/bring me closer to what/who I am myself and the
purpose(s) the Artist Philosopher would/could/should serve within society and the world. This
research is as much a journey of discovery & self definition, as it is a process of defining the role
of the Artist Philosopher in society & the benefit(s) they will/have/may offer. I am studying
Philosophers who have spoken on the concept of the ‘Artist Philosopher’, and Artist who have
been considered by their peers & critics to be ‘Artist Philosophers’ in order to build a cohesive
framework/Archetype to what the ‘Artist Philosopher’ is/be and do while they are a living being,
by using them as historical studies that lead to descriptive & methodological studies in order to
build on the current description surrounding the Artist Philosopher and to develop a
methodology through embodyment for the living Artist Philosopher/living as an Artist
Philosopher. So that my readers may be able to become, embody, transition, or identify
themselves as ‘Artist Philosophers’, as well as identify other living ‘Artist Philosophers’ by using
the descriptions and examples throughout this paper as tools for investigation & research. What
this body of research presents & represents is the framework for/of the guide to being a living
Artist Philosopher

Chapter Outlines:

Preface/Intro

In this chapter, I will set the frame & premise of the research I am presenting. The purpose of
this chapter is to explain the reasoning & drive for pursuing & conducting research on/about the
Artist Philosopher. This chapter will have more of a personal take on my desire to investigate
the idea of the Artist Philosopher. The layout of the dissertation will be broken down in this
section accompanied by a brief description for each break. The descriptions will grieve insight to
what each chapter will discuss. I will also be covering which Philosophers, Artist & Artist
Philosophers and their select works & writings I will be using in support & examining throughout
this paper.

The Origins/Rise of the Artist Philosopher

“What lies before us, there stands as a mere sketch, the briefly notated outline of what amounts
to a more than two-thousand year tradition”. George Smith, pg. 1

In this chapter, I will discuss the origins of the Artist Philosopher by cross examining the writings
& publications of Philosophers who have contributed to the idea & concept of the Artist
Philosopher. This chapter will be fun with an introduction & brief description of those who have
spoken directly on the matter of the Artist Philosopher, including Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Noel
Vuarnet and George Smith. Followed by those I see & agree with, that have had an impact or
influence on the world & being of the Artist Philosopher. These include Hegel, Martin Heidegger,
Sylvere Lothringer, Goethe, Hölderlin, Sidney P. Albert, R. G. Collingwood, and Alaine Leroy
Locke. These Philosophers & writers are all major benefactors to the making of the Artist
Philosopher today & the foundation they stand on

Art of Philosophy & Philosophy of Art/

Styles & Practices

In this chapter I will discuss & explore the Philosophy of Art and the notions of beauty &
aesthetics Artist must choose & prescribe to. We will then look as to how the Philosophy of Art
shapes the Artist Philosopher. To examine the Philosophy of Art, we will look at R. G.
Collingwood, Alaine Leroy Locke, Friedrich Neitsche, & George Smith. In conjunction with the
Philosophy of Art, we will look at the Art of Philosophy and the use of imagery & Artist
expression with philosophical knowledge by exploring Susanna Berger’s book, The Art of
Philosophy. With the work of these writers, a deeper understanding of the relationship between
Philosophy & Art and the need for the Artist Philosopher will be seen. Not only will the need be
clear but the call for there to even exist, an Artist Philosopher, will be made clear. This chapter
will then cross the Art of Philosophy & the Philosophy of Art with Styles & Practices of/used by
Artist Philosophers. I will be looking at Duchamp, Lüpertz, Sherman, Mutwa, Nietzsche, and
Smith as examples. They will be used to develop a sense & give an idea of the types of Art
Styles the Artist Philosopher may choose.

Frames & Definitions/Tendencies, Habits, & Traits

This chapter will explore the preceding frames & definitions of the Artist Philosopher constructed
by Friedrich Neitsche, George Smith, and Martin Heidegger. We will also explore the definitions
that surround me & make up the notions of the Artist Philosopher defined by Nietche, Smith,
Hegel, Goethe, Hölderlin, and Pace Kant. This chapter will then shift and cross the Frames &
Definitions with the tendencies, habits, and traits of the Artist Philosopher by examining
individuals who have been & are proclaimed to be Artist Philosophers. The individuals that will
be examined are Nietzsche himself, the first self proclaimed Artist Philosopher, Smith, Cindy
Sherman, Paul Cézanne, Creto Mutwa, Marcus Lüpertz, Duchamp, and Leonardo. This
exploration into the frames, definitions, tendencies, habits & traits of the Artist Philosopher will
allow us to clearly outline the who & what an artist philosopher is. It is as George Smith says,
“We know next to nothing about the Artist Philosopher. And yet to recount the artist philosophers
story Would require many volumes in the telling” George Smith, pg. 1. This chapter is a
testament to that statement. The scouring of references & information in order to culminate an
outline, if however brief or indescriptive.

Preflections & Reflections/??? Chapters

The purpose of this chapter is to provide space for my own critical reflection of my research &
the research process. This chapter also serves as an opportunity for the reader to see/follow my
thought process as I actively work on this research and my thoughts on the whole of the
process as I wrap up for the sake of this paper. This chapter of reflection will not only be on the
aspects of research and what was found but also what it took to find it & acquire it during this
period of research. This chapter will also provide insights on how to use Iring this paper itself
and the challenges that were presented. This chapter will express & display the discoveries &
mysteries surrounding the subject of the Artist Philosopher and the joys & struggles/ups &
downs of conducting this research. This chapter will also be used to express areas of
uncertainty with the subject of the Artist Philosopher & within my own research. As well as my
feelings for the possibilities & need of additional chapters in my writing. The reflection of the
possibility for expansion within my work shows the potential for growth around the Artist
Philosopher & the discipline it demands & requires to be formed around/for it.

Conclusion/Inconclusion

This chapter will be used/serve as a means for the previous chapters to coalesce and the
research to be summarized and draw to a close. The purpose of this chapter will be to restate
the key points & take always discussed in each chapter & where I stand at this point in
research. I will lay out concretely my idea and view on the Artist Philosopher in this chapter and
what I see as the current state for Artist Philosophers. I will also discuss in this chapter the
current state of research around the Artist Philosopher. With the Conclusion being that there is
no conclusive conclusion. So, I’m conclusion, the conclusion is inconclusive.