About the Book
The third edition of the acclaimed Routledge Companion to Aesthetics contains over sixty chapters written by leading international scholars covering all aspects of aesthetics.
This companion opens with an historical overview of aesthetics including entries on Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Adorno, Benjamin, Foucault, Goodman, and Wollheim. The second part covers the central concepts and theories of aesthetics, including the definitions of art, taste, the value of art, beauty, imagination, fiction, narrative, metaphor and pictorial representation. Part three is devoted to issues and challenges in aesthetics, including art and ethics, art and religion, creativity, environmental aesthetics and feminist aesthetics. The final part addresses the individual arts, including music, photography, film, videogames, literature, theater, dance, architecture and design.
With ten new entries, and revisions and updated suggestions for further reading throughout, The Routledge Companion to Aesthetics is essential for anyone interested in aesthetics, art, literature, and visual studies.
Table of Contents:
Part 1: History of aesthetics 1. Plato Christopher Janaway 2. Aristotle Nickolas Pappas 3. Medieval aesthetics John Haldane 4. Empiricism: Hutcheson and Hume James Shelley 5. Kant Donald W. Crawford 6. Hegel Michael Inwood 7. Idealism: Schopenhauer, Schiller and Schelling Dale Jacquette 8. Nietzsche Ruben Berrios and Aaron Ridley 9. Formalism Noël Carroll 10. Pragmatism: Dewey Richard Shusterman 11. Expressivism: Croce and Collingwood Gordon Graham 12. Heidegger Thomas E. Wartenberg 13. Phenomenology: Merleau-Ponty and Sartre Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin 14. Adorno Ted Gracyk 15. Benjamin Martin Donougho 16. Foucault Robert Wicks 17. Postmodernism David Novitz 18. Goodman Jenefer Robinson 19. Sibley Colin Lyas 20. Wollheim Derek Matravers Part 2: Aesthetic theory 21. Definitions of art Stephen Davies 22. Categories of art David Davies 23. Ontology of art Guy Rohrbaugh 24. The aesthetic James Shelley 25. Taste Carolyn Korsmeyer 26. Aesthetic universals Denis Dutton 27. Art and evolution Mohan Matthen 28. Value of art Matthew Kieran 29. Beauty Rafael De Clercq 30. Interpretation Robert Stecker 31. Imagination and make-believe Gregory Currie and Anna Ichino 32. Fiction David Davies 33. Narrative Paisley Livingston 34. Metaphor Garry Hagberg 35. Depiction Catharine Abell Part 3: Issues and challenges 36. Criticism Jonathan Gilmore 37. Art and knowledge Eileen John 38. Art and ethics Berys Gaut 39. Art, expression and emotion Derek Matravers 40. Tragedy Alex Neill 41. Humor Ted Cohen 42. Creativity Margaret Boden 43. Style Aaron Meskin 44. Authenticity in performance James O. Young 45. Fakes and forgeries Nan Stalnaker 46. High art versus low art John A. Fisher 47. Environmental aesthetics Allen Carlson 48. Feminist aesthetics Karen Hanson 49. Art and religion Gordon Graham Part 4: The individual arts 50. Literature Peter Lamarque 51. Poetry Peter Lamarque 52. Theater James Hamilton 53. Film Murray Smith 54. Videogames Grant Tavinor 55. Comics Aaron Meskin 56. Photography Dawn M. Wilson 57. Painting Dominic McIver Lopes 58. Sculpture Sherri Irvin 59. Design Glenn Parsons 60. Architecture Edward Winters 61. Music Andrew Kania 62. Dance Graham McFee. Index
About the Author :
Berys Gaut is Professor of Philosophy at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and President of the British Society of Aesthetics. He is the author of Art, Emotion and Ethics and A Philosophy of Cinematic Art, and co-author, with Morag Gaut, of Philosophy for Young Children: A Practical Guide (Routledge, 2011).
Dominic McIver Lopes is Distinguished University Scholar and Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia, Canada, and President of the American Society for Aesthetics. He is the author of Understanding Pictures, Sight and Sensibility: Evaluating Pictures, A Philosophy of Computer Art (Routledge, 2009) and Beyond Art.
Review :
Reviews of previous editions:
"This is an immensely useful book that belongs in every college library and on the bookshelves of all serious students of aesthetics." - Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
"Attests to the richness of modern aesthetics…the essays in central topics – many of which are written by well-known figures – succeed in being informative, balanced and intelligent without being too difficult." - British Journal of Aesthetics
"This handsome reference volume. . . belongs in every library." - CHOICE
"The succinctness and clarity of the essays will make this a source that individuals not familiar with aesthetics will find extremely helpful." - The Philosophical Quarterly
"An outstanding resource in aesthetics…this text will not only serve as a handy reference source for students and faculty alike, but it could also be used as a text for a course in the philosophy of art." - Australasian Journal of Philosophy
"The sheer eclecticism of this work – the variety of content, method, outlook and sensibility – shows the vigour and vitality that aesthetics as a branch of modern philosophy has come to assume in the last two or three decades. Its compilation is a real achievement, and it will appeal to a very wise range of readers. Some of these essays are, and will remain, classics of their kind." - Richard Wollheim
Reviews of previous editions:
"This is an immensely useful book that belongs in every college library and on the bookshelves of all serious students of aesthetics." - Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
"Attests to the richness of modern aesthetics…the essays in central topics – many of which are written by well-known figures – succeed in being informative, balanced and intelligent without being too difficult." - British Journal of Aesthetics
"This handsome reference volume. . . belongs in every library." - CHOICE
"The succinctness and clarity of the essays will make this a source that individuals not familiar with aesthetics will find extremely helpful." - The Philosophical Quarterly
"An outstanding resource in aesthetics…this text will not only serve as a handy reference source for students and faculty alike, but it could also be used as a text for a course in the philosophy of art." - Australasian Journal of Philosophy
"The sheer eclecticism of this work – the variety of content, method, outlook and sensibility – shows the vigour and vitality that aesthetics as a branch of modern philosophy has come to assume in the last two or three decades. Its compilation is a real achievement, and it will appeal to a very wise range of readers. Some of these essays are, and will remain, classics of their kind." - Richard Wollheim
