PHILOSOPHICAL

IMPORTANCE
OF ART

88 LECTURE FORUM
3:02- 3:45
DEC. 2
 What is Philosophy?
XPILOSOPO

Philosophy Philosophy as
Philosophy is a Philosophy is an “activity.”
started when It attempts to understand
perennial search.
search for truth human persons the general principles and
The human person is
(universal continuously searching
became curious ideas that lie behind
for the meaning of
truth). of the things various aspects of life
his/her life.
around him
CLASSICAL PERIOD

PLATO and ARISTOTLE

 PLATO’S THEORY OF IMITATION
“ART AS MIMESIS”

“The right function of art is to put before the soul

the images what intrinsically great and beautiful.”
– Plato
INTRODUCTION
⚫ Plato was a great critic of
literature, philosopher, thinker,
educationalist and moralist
⚫ He was also a fine literary
stylist and great story teller
⚫ He introduce the theory of
imitation
⚫ According to him, the nature is
only true and other materials
are imitation or copy of the
truth
⚫ So literature and poetry are
not true , it’s imitation of nature
PLATO’S THEORY OF ART AS MIMESIS
⚫ Mimesis- imitation
⚫ The arts deal with illusion or
they are imitation of an Art – twice
imitation. Twice removed removed from
reality–illusion !!
from reality.
⚫ According to him all arts
are imitative or mimetic in
nature. He wrote in The
Republic that ‘ideas are the
ultimate reality’. Things are
conceived as ideas before
they take practical shapes.
So, idea is original and the
thing is copy of that idea.
PLATO’S THEORY OF ART AS MIMESIS
⚫ The idea of ‘chair’ first
Art – twice
came in the mind of
removed from
carpenter. Carpenter’s reality–illusion !!
chair is the result of the
idea of chair in his mind.
⚫ He gave physical shape to
his idea out of wood and
created a chair.
⚫ The painter imitated the
chair of the carpenter in
his picture of chair.
PLATO’S THEORY OF ART AS MIMESIS
• Painter imitated the chair of
the carpenter in his picture Art – twice
of chair. Thus, painter’s chair removed from
reality–illusion !!
is twice removed from
reality. Hence, he believed
that art is twice removed
from reality.
⚫ So ART is twice removed
form reality. Thus artist/poet
takes man away from reality
rather than towards it. Thus
artist deals in illusion.
PLATO ON LITERATURE AND POETRY
⚫ Literature is harmful to
the society and
misguide the people of
country and spoil the
youth
 PLATO ON LITERATURE AND POETRY
⚫ As a moralist Plato disapproves
of poetry because it is immoral,
as a philosopher he disapproves
of it because it is based in
falsehood.
⚫ Philosophy is better than poetry
because philosopher deals with
idea / truth, whereas poet deals
with what appears to him /
illusion.
⚫ He believed that truth of
philosophy was more important
than the pleasure of poetry.
 ARISTOTLE
“ART AS REPRESENTATION”

“The aim of art is to represent not the outward

appearance of things, but their inward significance”.
-- ARISTOTLE
INTRODUCTION
⚫ Aristotle was a great disciple
of Plato but his views are some
what different than his master
regarding poetry .
⚫ Greek philosopher who studies
the art of persuasion.
⚫ A great scientist
⚫ Tutor Alexander the Great
⚫ Founded Lyceum
ART AS REPRESENTATION
⚫ Aristotle believes that there is
natural pleasure in imitation,
which is in-born instinct in men.
⚫ It is this pleasure in imitation
that enables the child to learn
his earliest lessons in speech
and conduct from those around
him, because there is a
pleasure in doing so.
ART AS REPRESENTATION
⚫ Aristotle does not agree with Plato
in function of poetry to make
people weaker and emotional too
sentimental. For him, catharsis is
ennobling and humbles human
being.
⚫ So far as moral nature of poetry is
concerned, Aristotle believed that
the end of poetry is to please;
however, teaching may be given.
Such pleasing is superior to the
other pleasure because it teaches
civic morality. Therefore, all good
literature gives pleasure that is not
divorced from moral lessons.
ART AS REPRESENTATION
⚫ We don’t watch or read tragedy
because we enjoy tears, rage
and manic emotion. The pleasure
we take in tragedy is aesthetic.
We enjoy the representation of
tragic events because it offers
an “artistic taming of the
horrible”
⚫ Tragic literature arouses a very
specific set of emotions-pity and
fear and brings about healthy
and pleasurable experienced
called “CATHARSIS”
What is CATHARSIS ?
• PURGATION
• CLARIFICATION
• ‘MODERATING’ OF THE PASSION
MODERN PHILOSOPHER, IMMANUEL KANT
“ART FOR ART’S SAKE”
ART FOR ART’S SAKE
ART FOR ART’S SAKE
⚫ Being the most influential
philosopher in the history of
western philosophy, Immanuel
Kant developed the theory Art
for Art Sake (l’art pour l’art).
⚫ In his “Critique of Judgement”.
Kant recognized that the
judgement of beauty can be
universal despite its
subjectivity.
BEAUTY (powerful)
- connects us with the ultimate
mystery of being
- is a democratic way of compelling
us to make us better

Form Relationship Bounded by

and with the order and
dignity truth harmony
ART FOR ART’S SAKE
⚫ Art should be separated from other
considerations like morality, function, and
pleasure
⚫ “art for art’s sake” argues judgement
should not be made based on how well
work serves external purposes, such as
moral or political commentary. Instead,
value is intrinsically defined by the
aesthetic impression.
⚫ early nineteenth century philosophers
said that the role of art could be nothing
less that to create beauty. Art should
stand independently and should be free
from all scrutiny of other advantages,
rather art it stands for beauty alone.
⚫
ART FOR ART’S SAKE
⚫ Art should be independent
and can stand on its own.
⚫ It should be divorced from
moral or utilitarian purpose
⚫ Art for its own essence and
beauty
⚫ Art needs no justification ,no
purpose but beauty is
enough