Beyond Aesthetics
Philosophical Essays

Claims authorial intention, art history, and morality play a role in our encounter with art works.

Noël Carroll (Author)

9780521786560, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 30 April 2001

468 pages
23.5 x 15.6 x 2.8 cm, 0.651 kg

"Beyond Aesthetics is but the latest in a series of important works in which Carroll undertakes to expose the shortcomings of traditional and conventional modes of interpretation and appreciation." Journal of Aesthetic Education

Beyond Aesthetics brings together philosophical essays addressing art and related issues by one of the foremost philosophers of art at work today. Countering conventional aesthetic theories - those maintaining that authorial intention, art history, morality and emotional responses are irrelevant to the experience of art - Noël Carroll argues for a more pluralistic and commonsensical view in which all of these factors can play a legitimate role in our encounter with art works. Throughout, the book combines philosophical theorizing with illustrative examples including works of high culture and the avant-garde, as well as works of popular culture, jokes, horror novels, and suspense films.

Foreword Peter Kirvy
Introduction
Part I. Beyond Aesthetics: 1. Art and interaction
2. Beauty and genealogy of art theory
3. Four concepts of aesthetic experience
Part II. Art, History, and Narrative: 4. Art, practice, and narrative
5. Identifying art
6. Historical narratives and the philosophy of art
7. On the narrative connection
8. Interpretation, history and narrative
Part III. Interpretation and Intention: 9. Art, intention, and conversation
10. Anglo-American aesthetics and contemporary criticism: intention and the hermeneutics of suspicion
11. The intention of fallacy: defending myself
12. Intention and interpretation: the debate between hypothetical and actual intentionalism
Part IV. Art, Emotion, and Morality: 13. Art, narrative, and emotion
14. Horror and humor
15. The paradox of suspense
16. Art, narrative, and moral understanding
17. Moderate moralism
18. Simulation, emotions, and morality
Part V. Alternative Topics: 19. On jokes
20. The paradox of junk fiction
21. Visual metaphor
22. On being moved by nature
23. Emotion, appreciation, and nature.

Subject Areas: Philosophy: aesthetics [HPN], Literary theory [DSA], Film theory & criticism [APFA], History of art / art & design styles [AC]