Philosophy of Art Monroe Beardsley's Aesthetic Definition of Art Essay

Philosophy of Art Monroe Beardsley's Aesthetic Definition of Art - Essay Example The paper will review the min concepts and definitions of art proposed by Monroe Beardsley, and then, critically review the proposed concepts. In this, its ultimate role is to provide a critique of its own conditions of possibility. And, as is well known, for Beardsley this became a matter of artists acknowledging the flatness of the picture plane as a way of asserting what they took to be the essential fact about the nature of painting. Beardsley defines artwork as: "something produced with the intension of giving it the capacity to satisfy the authentic interest" (Beardsley 57). Beardsley has in mind such audience responses as noticing details, recognizing patterns, making interpretations, filling in the work, etc (Beardsley 55). It is against this understanding of avant-garde art, the genuine art of the contemporary world, that Beardsley articulates his understanding of modern art. Avant-garde art is abstract, whereas modern art ostensibly favors representation. Avant-garde art is reflexive, whereas modern art is generally imitative. Avant-garde art is introverted -- it is about itself (it is about its medium). Modern art is extroverted; it is about the world. Moreover, in being introverted, avant-garde art is detached from practical affairs and disinterested, whereas by representing the world, modern art is implicated in practical concerns (Beardsley 55). In order to accomplish this, genuine art must be difficult, whereas Beardsley believes that modern art can be enjoyed without effort. Moreover, this emphasis on the active response of the spectator in genuine art is what leads Beardsley to nominate avant-garde art as the genuine art of our times, since avant-garde art requires an active spectator to fill in its open structures. Thus, avant-garde art can be said to preserve the central value of art properly so-called. For art properly so-called has always been dedicated to engendering active spectatorship. Indeed, commitment to this role, it would appear, is a necessary feature of art for Beardsley, as it is for many other modern theorists of art. On the other hand, Beardsley maintains that art involves 'unreflective enjoyment'. It abets passive spectatorship -- of the sort putatively evinced by 'couch potatoes' -- whereas Beardsley, with the authority of a long tradition behind him, presumes that a necessary feature of genuine art in volves a commitment to active vowing (Beardsley 56). Avant-garde art accords with this profile. In order to appreciate it, a certain sort of knowledge and background information will have to come into play, if, for example, one is to identify the reflexive comment that an abstract array makes on the nature of painting. Beardsley argues: "once we know what things are artworks in a particular society, we can identify artistic activities by discovering which activities involve interaction with artworks" (Beardsley 57). To interpret such a work one must be initiated into a certain discourse and, even after one assimilates the relevant art discourse, a great deal of cogitation will still be required in order to apply that discourse with understanding to the painting at hand. Such painting demands intellectual work from the spectator because of its hermetic structure, which serves as a difficult obstacle, or puzzle,

End of life debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

End of life debate - Essay Example Various studies (Lee et al, 2010; Petri and Lazaro, 2009; Edworthy, 2005; and Ticaniet. Al, 2006) suggest that signs and symptoms commonly identified were butterfly rash over cheeks, photosensitivity, erythematous rash to areas exposed to sun, fatigue, malaise, early bruising, sudden weight gain or loss, hair loss, Raynaud’s phenomenon, joint pain and swelling, ulcers of the mouth and nose, plueritis, pericarditis, low grade fever, diarrhea and nausea and vomiting, hence identified as having multisystem effects. By this, SLE is considered to be one of the most serious rheumatic diseases however; the cause of death may not be directly attributed to the condition but to one or another of its many complications especially for severe cases (â€Å"Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Prognosis†, undated). ... On this paper I will try to discuss and justify my position to support the continuity of life of patients with SLE, looking into the various aspects of medical care as well as the ethical, social, and financial considerations that should be taken relative to the patient’s medical care. A hypothetical scenario on the case of a 38 year- old woman was also presented earlier. The woman complains of fatigue, weight loss, oral ulcers, and malar rash around her cheeks, some hair loss for the past month and a bilateral color changes in her extremities which is induced by stress or variants in temperature. She was also seen in the emergency room two (2) weeks ago complaining of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash on her legs which was attributed to her travel to Brazil three (3) week ago, after the diagnosis the symptoms have resolved. Currently, she is not on any prescriptions or over the counter medications. Her past history is consistent of appendectomy at the age of 16 years and three (3) caesarian deliveries. Her family history is positive for hyperthyroidism in her mother and HTN in her father. Based on this scenario, the expected prognostic outcome of this patient is that she has a Widespread SLE. This chronic, lifelong disease was evident in her diagnosis and in the signs and symptoms she is experiencing. The disease may have started at her digestive system given by the various digestive related signs that she indicated during her medical consultation. She is already experiencing symptom relapses or flares from time to time but she can still do her normal activities 90% of the time as she was able to work and travel. Tests