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3/25/2017

Question 1

Art and Pleasure What is the main point of


Aesthetic hedonism as aesthetic hedonism?
normative theory of arts.

Aesthetic hedonism
According to R. G. Collingwood (1889-1943)
The value of art lies in its ability to Gk. Hedos = pleasure
entertain, to bring forth enjoyment(or Art is a source of pleasure or enjoyment
that it is enjoyable)
if it gives PLEASURE The value of art is necessarily
connected with pleasure or enjoyment

According to David Hume (1711-1776) According to David Hume (1711-1776)


Pleasure could explain the power of art The important thing about art is its
to attract and hold us agreeableness, the pleasure we derive from
Man is under two great masters: it. And that pleasure is a matter of our
sentiments, not its intrinsic nature.
(1) pain and (2) pleasure
FEELINGS/ PREFERENCE/ TASTE

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3/25/2017

Question 2
What do we mean by pleasure?
How do your define pleasure? Is it synonymous with happiness?
Is it the psychological opposite of pain?
Is it about possessing entertainment/
recreational value?

Is pleasure the psychological opposite of pain?


Is pleasure synonymous with happiness? But why are people drawn to watch these tragedies?

No, masochistic people find


Pleasure is the gratification of a need/ desire.
pleasure in the experience of
pain. Thus, pain and other
Happiness is contentment of the heart.
hurtful feelings could also be
attractive, beautiful.

Is pleasure about possessing


entertainment/ recreational value? Question
Can we call these art films?

Yes. But recreational


If derived pleasure is the only
value alone cannot make yardstick, is it possible to make
works of art distinctions between major and
aesthetically valuable.
minor works of art?

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J.S. Mill (1985) said that there really are works


of art that are not as equally enjoyable/ J.S. Mill (1985) said that personal pleasure is
pleasurable than others not similar with artistic significance
Answer: YES.
Not all works of art are to be valued to the
same extent (A)rt works that differ in
QUALITY (what kind) and QUANTITY (how
much/ how many) must be discriminated.

The problem with J. S. Mills view


Implication of J. S. Mills view. however is.
Higher pleasures involve the higher We can define higher pleasures but can this
faculties and of higher order experience, stipulation help us identify a distinctive
this is what makes them of a higher quality. property that would validate why one is more
Serious/major art (or artist) engages aspects significant or important than others?
of the mind that lighter/minor arts (or artists)
do not address or even attempt to address.

Question Question
If more people are pleased, does it mean
that the work of art is more significant? Is the distinction of bad art from
good art possible?
Answer: NO, since derived pleasure does
not define aesthetic value. It is easier to
entertain the public than to make them
Answer: NO.
experience beauty,

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3/25/2017

Maganda ka naman e.
Hindi nga lang uso! Question
Implication:
there is no such thing Who/ what provides, then, the likeability of a
as bad art only work of art: the object itself or the audience?

different art, from


Answer: THE AUDIENCE SUBJECTIVE
people with peculiar VALUATION
taste

So, it is either you LIKE IT


or you DONT It is not the art, it is the I.
Aesthetic preferences are expressions of Hence, central to
taste not statements about the object or this idea is
any characteristic it possesses. It is all human
about individual preferences. subjectivity.

Question
According to David Hume (1711-1776)
Is it still possible, then, to come up with a
standard of taste?

Answer: YES.

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Establishing for a standard of taste?


If they are time-
tested
If majority of
These are old paintings, created by people whose people approves
aesthetic taste may not necessarily similar with ours but them
we still appreciate them as beautiful.

Is preference or taste an adequate


Establishing for a standard of taste? standard?
If they satisfy To say that a work of art is good or
higher valuable on the strength of feelings
faculties it evokes in us is NOT the same as
saying that we find it enjoyable
(p.5).

Question
We should know that
What are the limitations of The concept of pleasure is one of a
mental or psychological experience. And
personal preference/ aesthetic such is a personal/ private experience.
hedonism as standard of value of
HGHLY SUBJECTIVE
art?

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We should know that We should know that


The concept of pleasure is one of a The concept of pleasure is one of a
mental or psychological experience. mental or psychological experience.
Pleasure is the manner in which we Different things can cause us different
engage in that activity (at that moment). pleasures.

TRANSITORY DIVERSITY

There are objective standards


And, we should also know that
It is in the arts themselves that
It is in the arts themselves that their their value is to be found and not
value is to be found and not in the in the pleasurable feelings that
pleasurable feelings that may or may or may not arise from them
may not arise from them (p. 13). (p. 13).
INTRINSIC VALUE Outside of our subjective pleasure

After all, living is not just about going after


Moral pleasures and avoiding pain

of the
story?

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After all, living is not just about going after


pleasures and avoiding pain
We
also ---nothing follows---
need
sadness
sometimes

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